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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Alireza Manafi

Connection at a cost: The high-risk world of Iran’s underground VPN market after internet blackout

A woman takes images with her smart phone in front of a building which was damaged after a strike on a police station amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

This article first appeared on our partner site, Independent Persian

As the widespread internet shutdown in Iran continues, the market for selling VPNs (virtual private networks) and connection “configs” has surged. It is a chaotic and high-risk space where, on one hand, new methods are constantly being used to access the internet, and on the other, fraud and the exploitation of users has also increased.

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