Is YouTube blocked in Iran? Status and fixes (October 2026)

The 3 VPNs that fit YouTube in Iran

Votes come from visitors in Iran over the last 14 days.

Picked for heavy censorship: each can disguise VPN traffic.

ExpressVPN

Unreliable

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to automatic obfuscation (protocol set to Automatic) before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Unreliable

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to NordWhisper or obfuscated servers before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try NordVPN

Surfshark

Unreliable

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to NoBorders mode before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try Surfshark

Not sure about these three? See 3 more VPNs Proton VPN, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost

Proton VPN

Unreliable

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to the Stealth protocol before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try Proton VPN

Private Internet Access

Unreliable

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to the Shadowsocks proxy option before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try Private Internet Access

CyberGhost

Doesn't connect

Not enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.

Switch to a nearby server (CyberGhost has no stealth mode) before connecting.

Working for you right now?

Try CyberGhost

We earn a commission if you buy a VPN through our links. It never changes what we report as blocked. How we pick and how we make money

The bigger picture in Iran

International internet returned on 26 May 2026 after an 88-day blackout, but Instagram, X, YouTube, Telegram, Facebook and Signal remain blocked.

Before you connect: Expect frequent disconnections. Keep more than one protocol configured, and remember a VPN cannot restore a total shutdown.

Everything blocked in Iran · Where is YouTube blocked?

Questions people ask

Is YouTube blocked in Iran?

YouTube is blocked in Iran since 2012.

How do I use YouTube in Iran?

A VPN routes your connection through another country so the block does not apply. Expect frequent disconnections. Keep more than one protocol configured, and remember a VPN cannot restore a total shutdown.

Is using a VPN legal in Iran?

Legal with restrictions. Only licensed VPNs are legal, yet unlicensed VPN use is near-universal. During full shutdowns no VPN can help because there is no international connection to tunnel through.