Iran Faces Nationwide Internet Blackout Amid Escalating Anti-Government Protests
Thursday evening saw Iran plunged into a nationwide internet blackout as mass anti-government protests swept across the country. Demonstrators in cities nationwide, including Tehran and Mashhad, shouted slogans opposing the ruling theocratic regime, with growing anger fueled by economic hardship and security crackdowns.
Authorities swiftly cut internet access and telephone lines following the start of protests in the capital and other major cities. Despite the blackout, videos of the demonstrations continued to circulate online, with the unrest now entering its 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, as quoted by CNN. “The goal is to prevent the spread of news of what’s happening on the ground and also to limit international scrutiny.”
Protests have spread from western regions like Ilam, a Kurdish-majority area bordering Iraq, to northeastern cities near the Afghan border. Over 100 cities have seen demonstrators take to the streets since the initial uprising 12 days ago.
Authorities have resorted to their established tactics of suppression without addressing the root causes of public discontent. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO), at least 45 protesters, including eight children, have been killed since demonstrations began. The report also noted hundreds of injuries and over 2,000 detentions.
Some protesters appeared to have followed 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 of the slogans heard in the videos was “This is the last battle, Pahlavi will return,” as confirmed by CNN’s analysis of footage.
Meanwhile, Iran state media reported “scattered” protests in parts of Tehran and other cities overnight, with unspecified casualties and damage to public and private property. In a Telegram post Friday morning, IRIB shared video depicting the aftermath of the unrest in Tehran, showing bikes, cars, and a bus in flames, alongside a smashed subway entrance.
The turmoil prompted US President Donald Trump to reiterate his threat of military action against Iran. “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.
