Does NordVPN work in Iran?

As of Jul 22, 2026, NordVPN is blocked in Iran.

Status
blocked
Confidence
medium
Last verified
Jul 22, 2026
Method
nordvpn.com DNS-blocked on most Iranian ISPs; Iranian protocol filtering means obfuscation (NordWhisper or obfuscated OpenVPN) would be mandatory at minimum, and no recent report confirms the tunnel connects even then

Working alternatives in Iran

No VPN is currently verified as working in Iran. We would rather say that than guess. Check back after the next weekly verification pass.

What we're seeing

OONI measurements from July 16-21, 2026 show nordvpn.com blocked on 26 of 30 probes across major Iranian ISPs including TCI and Irancell, most as confirmed DNS blocking. A few clean results show the blocking is not perfectly uniform. The last dated community test we can find listed NordVPN as blocked in October 2022, and nothing since contradicts it.

Sources for the above:

Is NordVPN working for you right now?

Latest reports for NordVPN here:

Common questions

Is using a VPN legal in Iran?

Unlicensed VPN use was prohibited by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace in February 2024, and selling VPNs was criminalized in 2023. Millions still use them daily, but formally only licensed services are permitted.

Which VPN works in Iran right now?

As of July 2026, none of the 10 VPNs we track is verified working. Six are blocked outright. Proton, ExpressVPN, and Windscribe are partially working at best, with obfuscation, and results vary by ISP.

Can I pay for a Western VPN from Iran?

Usually not. Sanctions block most card payments from Iran, and some providers refuse Iranian accounts entirely. If you have access to foreign payment methods, set everything up before you need it.

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