Iranians Lose Internet as Protests Spread
People walk as shops are closed during protests in Tehran's centuries-old main bazaar on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iran’s latest surge of unrest is playing out largely beyond the reach of the internet, as authorities appear to have shut down online access nationwide. The internet monitoring group NetBlocks said Thursday that Iran has effectively gone dark after several days of escalating restrictions designed to curb protest activity.
The blackout has severely limited people’s ability to communicate as demonstrations expand across the country. Protests that began in late December over soaring inflation, a collapsing currency, and broader economic pressures have now spread to all 31 provinces, according to Al Jazeera.
In response to a call for a general strike by seven Kurdish political groups, shopkeepers closed their businesses Thursday in Kurdish regions and dozens of other cities, the Guardian reported. At least 21 people — including members of the security forces — have been killed since the unrest began, based on an AFP count drawn from Iranian media reports and official statements.
Iran’s leadership has sent mixed signals. President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for “utmost restraint,” while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken a harder line, ordering that what he described as “rioters” be dealt with decisively.
Internet shutdowns have been used repeatedly during past periods of unrest, according to the New York Times. Omid Memarian, an Iranian human rights expert with the Washington-based group DAWN, said such blackouts are a familiar tactic. “Whenever protests reach a critical point, authorities cut off Iran’s connection to the global internet to isolate protesters and restrict their ability to communicate with the outside world,” he said.
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