National shutdown
The Iraqi Government ordered the suspension of Internet services on the morning of 30 August 2026, between 6:20 and 7:10 local time (+3 UTC). This is part of a series of expected shutdowns during the public school exams. This series covers the second round of the Iraq Middle Schools Exam Schedule, which runs between 26 August and 12 September 2026.
This series includes a shorter shutdown duration, 50 minutes, compared to 90 minutes in the previous series between 13 June and 14 July 2026.
- Total Duration 50 minutes
Iraq
- Population
- 47,020,774
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Related documentation
Local media reported that the Ministry of Communications in Iraq announced on 19 May that it will suspend Internet access during the examinations. The shutdown is expected to run for an hour and a half on exam days, between 6:20 and 7:10 local time (+3 UTC).
In a video message, Minister Mustafa Sanad, Iraq's Minister of Communication, confirmed the shutdown and vowed to develop a digital system that would eliminate the need for centralized exam distribution and, by extension, the need to shut down Internet access on exam days.
Other supporting information
Cloudflare Radar and IODA data showing the shutdown affecting Iraqi networks.
