Iran Experiences Nationwide Internet Blackout Amid Anti-Government Protests
Thursday evening saw Iran plunged into a nationwide internet blackout as mass anti-government protests spread across the country. Iranians took to the streets, chanting slogans against the ruling theocratic regime, fueled by growing frustration over economic instability and security crackdowns. Authorities swiftly cut internet access and telephone lines following the initial demonstrations in Tehran and other major cities, though the blackout did not immediately halt the sharing of protest videos, which have continued into the second week.
“National blackouts tend to be the regime’s go-to strategy when deadly force is about to get used against protesters,” said Alp Toker, director of cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks, speaking to CNN. “The goal is to prevent the spread of news of what’s happening on the ground and also to limit international scrutiny.”
Protests erupted in cities from as far west as Ilam, a Kurdish-majority region bordering Iraq, to Tehran and Mashhad, located in the northeast near the Afghan border. More than 100 cities have seen demonstrations since the unrest began 12 days ago. Authorities have resorted to their established tactics of suppressing dissent without addressing the root causes of public anger.
According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO), at least 45 protesters, including eight children, have been killed since the demonstrations began. The report also stated that hundreds have been injured and over 2,000 people detained. Some protesters appeared to have responded to a call from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who urged Iranians to “take to the streets and, as a united front, shout your demands” on X. One slogan heard in the videos was “This is the last battle, Pahlavi will return,” as verified by CNN.
Footage confirmed by CNN depicted large-scale protests across Iran, with demonstrators blocking roads and setting fires in the capital’s streets. The videos captured opposing groups rallying with chants supporting and opposing the government. Iran state media reported “scattered” protests in parts of Tehran and other cities overnight, noting unspecified casualties and damage to public and private property.
In a Telegram post on Friday morning, IRIB shared video it claimed showed the aftermath of the protests in Tehran. The footage, which lacks sound, featured several bikes and cars burning on the streets, as well as what appears to be the burnt-out shell of a bus. A smashed subway entrance was also visible in the clip.
The unrest prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to reiterate his threat to attack Iran if security forces killed protesters. “I have let them know that if they start killing people, which they tend to do during their riots … we’re going to hit them very hard,” Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt.
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