Reports indicate that a nationwide internet blackout has occurred in Iran as anti-regime protests escalate, now entering their second week with at least 44 reported deaths. Communication across the country has been heavily restricted during this time.
On Thursday evening, live data from NetBlocks showed a sharp decline in internet traffic, right after a call for mass protests circulated around 8 PM local time. Prior to this, President Trump emphasized in an interview that if the Iranian regime resorted to killing protesters, there would be significant consequences for them.
When asked about a message for the Iranian public, Trump remarked on the importance of freedom, saying, “You are brave people.”
The State Department’s Farsi social media accounts echoed Trump’s warnings regarding the regime. Ali Safavi, a member of the Iranian National Council of Resistance (NCRI), reported that the internet shutdown began around 1 PM local time, with widespread claims that the regime was behind the disruption.
According to NetBlocks, this outage follows a trend of increased digital censorship aimed at suppressing ongoing protests across the nation. Additionally, some areas have experienced disrupted telephone services.
Safavi also noted that the internet shutdown coincided with violent clashes occurring in multiple regions, including Lodegan, Chaharmahal, and Bakhtiari. He mentioned that Isfahan, which is Iran’s third-largest city, saw state media outlets being attacked by youth protestors.
As communications became even more limited, the confirmed death toll continued to rise, with NCRI reporting an increase to at least 44 fatalities due to actions taken by Iranian security forces since the protests began.
On the same day, NCRI identified 13 new victims, describing them as “martyrs” of the uprising. Among the newly confirmed casualties were seven from Rhodegan, including a woman and two teenagers, all reportedly shot by Revolutionary Guards.
The civil unrest, which began in December due to economic issues like currency collapse and rampant inflation, has evolved into a broader movement seeking to overthrow the Islamic Republic.
As demonstrations entered their 12th day, a general strike spread across key commercial hubs, with significant street confrontations, particularly in western Iran. Safavi remarked on the unprecedented scale of these protests, with millions of Iranians participating.
In a shared statement on social media, Reza Pahlavi commented on the Iranian regime’s efforts to cut off communication lines, stating they had shut down internet access as well as landline phones, and might attempt to jam satellite signals.
In Rodegan, security forces reportedly killed eight protesters in a single day, while violence also resulted in fatalities among regime forces. Protests in various areas led to the destruction of government property and the targeting of national symbols.
Videos circulated on social media showed protests against the regime, including instances of demonstrators damaging an Iranian flag. In Tehran, protesters overturned a police vehicle in a wealthier district while chanting against the authorities.
