Iran Internet Blackout Amid Nationwide Protests
Internet connectivity across Iran has been shut down amid nationwide protests triggered by a deepening economic crisis, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks. The organisation said the blackout followed a sustained tightening of digital censorship and surveillance aimed at suppressing unrest.
“Such measures are severely disrupting people’s right to communicate at a critical moment,” NetBlocks said in a statement.
According to estimates by AFP, citing local media and official sources, at least 21 people—including members of the security forces—have been killed since the protests began.
Reporting from Tehran early Friday, Al Jazeera journalist Touhid Asadi said thousands of people took to the streets across the capital from around 8:00 pm local time on Thursday. “We saw residents from many neighbourhoods joining the protests,” he said, adding that several roads were blocked and clashes broke out between demonstrators and police.
Asadi noted that many of the slogans heard were directed against political institutions. “Economic pressure has eroded public trust and fuelled anger,” he said, explaining that working-class and lower-middle-income groups are struggling to meet basic daily needs.
Iranian authorities have issued conflicting messages regarding the protests. President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for “maximum restraint” in handling the demonstrations. In contrast, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier said that “rioters” must be given an “appropriate response.” The country’s chief justice has also accused protesters of colluding with the United States and Israel.
Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei warned that there would be no leniency for those who “create instability.” “Anyone who takes to the streets to incite riots or supports them has no excuse,” he said, claiming such actions align with the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stressed the need to prevent further loss of life during the unrest, according to his spokesperson. At a briefing on Monday, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres urged authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. “All people must be allowed to protest peacefully and voice their grievances,” he said.
Iran has previously witnessed mass protests in 2022 and 2023 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women. Amid the current unrest, human rights organisations have alleged that Iranian authorities are raiding hospitals to arrest injured protesters.
Amnesty International said on Tuesday that security forces carried out a raid at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, western Iran, firing tear gas, breaking doors and assaulting people inside, including medical staff. In a statement, the organisation called on Iranian security forces to immediately stop the unlawful use of force and firearms against protesters, halt arbitrary arrests of those seeking medical care, ensure proper treatment for the injured, and respect the sanctity of medical facilities.
DBTech/AG/EK/OR
