Can the Iranian Government Completely Cut Off the Internet?

With the recent protests occurring in several cities across Iran, one of the hot topics among Iranian users, especially on Twitter, is the speculation about a complete internet shutdown. Can Iran completely cut off the internet? Perhaps the most important question currently being discussed among internet users in Iran is whether the Iranian government has the technical capability to completely shut down the internet. In response to this question, it should be noted that with the implementation of the National Information Network (Shoma), or the national internet, the Iranian government technically has the ability to completely cut off users' access to services hosted outside the country (such as Telegram, Twitter, etc.), while they can still access domestic websites. Furthermore, if the Iranian government completely cuts off users' access to international services, the communication infrastructure in Iran, which includes communication between government organizations, banks, etc., is unlikely to face severe problems. As a result, unlike the protests and demonstrations of 2009, when the country's communication infrastructure was completely inaccessible, this will not happen in similar situations (such as the current protests in various cities in Iran). In other words, the Iranian government can effectively completely cut off users' access to non-Iranian services. Now, considering that we know the Iranian government has the ability to completely cut off the internet without harming its own communication infrastructure, the next question is about the likelihood of this action. If we realistically assess the current situation and the extent of internet usage by people in the country, where Telegram is now recognized as 'the internet' for many people, the likelihood of a complete internet shutdown in Iran is very low, and this claim is based on two important points: 1- Many people earn a living through the internet: Unlike in 2009, when the internet had not penetrated deeply among the people and there was no 3G or 4G internet on mobile phones, the internet has now become an inseparable part of people's lives, and many earn a living through it. For example, in 2009, there were no applications like Snapp, Tap30, or services like MamanPaz, but now many of these services are a source of income for a segment of society, and if the Iranian government considers a complete internet shutdown, many of these services will face significant disruptions; for instance, applications like Snapp or Tap30 that use Google Maps will no longer be able to provide their services. 2- Many services in Iran depend on global internet: As mentioned above, although Iran has managed to separate its communication infrastructure from the global internet by launching the National Information Network, many services in Iran still depend on services that are accessible through the global internet. One of the simplest examples mentioned earlier is the use of public transportation service applications that are completely dependent on Google Maps. Considering what has been stated above, it should be said that although the likelihood of an internet shutdown in Iran is very low, this possibility cannot be completely ruled out, and in very critical situations, there is a chance that the internet in Iran could be completely cut off.