Iran’s Islamic regime decided to shut down the internet across the country this week following the intensification of protests against the dictatorship of the ayatollahs, which have been ongoing since the end of December.
According to data from digital monitoring organization NetBlocks, real-time metrics confirmed a nationwide connectivity blackout, affecting central Iranian infrastructure providers amid the escalation of demonstrations.
According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an Iranian opposition coalition in exile, massive protests are currently taking place in Tehran and several other cities in Iranian territory. Nightly demonstrations were recorded in the capital and in urban centers such as Isfahan, Arak and Kermanshah, with slogans such as “It is the year of blood, Khamenei (supreme leader of Iran) will be overthrown”.
The ongoing mobilizations began in December as a reaction to the economic collapse, inflation and the devaluation of the rial – the Iranian currency, but quickly evolved into a political mobilization demanding the overthrow of the theocratic regime. The NCRI said security forces have intensified repression since the protests intensified, carrying out mass arrests.
Portal information Iran Insight indicate that the protests gained new momentum after a call for national mobilization made from exile by Prince Reza Pahlavi. According to the website, demonstrations took place this Thursday (8) in several cities, while strikes spread across the country, with the closure of businesses in dozens of municipalities.
According to the human rights organization HRANA, at least 36 people have died since the protests began, including 34 protesters and two members of the security forces, while more than 2,000 people have been arrested across the country.
Witness reports cited by international agencies describe entire neighborhoods of Tehran with residents shouting slogans from balconies and thousands of people in the streets. The protests included slogans directly aimed at the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, such as “Death to the dictator” and “Death to the Islamic Republic”, as well as demonstrations in favor of the return of the monarchy.
