diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/iframe/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/iframe/index.js
index 85e1f12a7c0d6..76d2e09dfb7a3 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/iframe/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/iframe/index.js
@@ -191,6 +191,22 @@ function Iframe( {
preventFileDropDefault,
false
);
+ // Prevent clicks on links from navigating away. Note that links
+ // inside `contenteditable` are already disabled by the browser, so
+ // this is for links in blocks outside of `contenteditable`.
+ iFrameDocument.addEventListener( 'click', ( event ) => {
+ if ( event.target.tagName === 'A' ) {
+ event.preventDefault();
+
+ // Appending a hash to the current URL will not reload the
+ // page. This is useful for e.g. footnotes.
+ const href = event.target.getAttribute( 'href' );
+ if ( href.startsWith( '#' ) ) {
+ iFrameDocument.defaultView.location.hash =
+ href.slice( 1 );
+ }
+ }
+ } );
}
node.addEventListener( 'load', onLoad );
@@ -272,6 +288,7 @@ function Iframe( {
+