Iran internet blackout persists as Khamenei warns of tougher crackdown

Iran’s near-total internet blackout continued on Saturday, the Independent.co reported, as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a harsher crackdown on nationwide protests. In his first public address since demonstrations began on 28 December, Khamenei said the Islamic Republic would "not back down", accused protesters of acting on behalf of foreign powers and blamed US president Donald Trump for unrest driven by Iran’s economic crisis.

Trump warned Khamenei that the US will "start shooting" if demonstrators are targeted by government forces, as protests entered their 13th day. The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) said at least 62 people have been killed since the protests began, including 48 protesters and 14 security personnel.

Authorities have maintained a nationwide internet shutdown, severely restricting information flowing out of the country, while protesters in several cities have chanted "death to Khamenei" and some government buildings in Tehran were set on fire. Rights groups condemned the blackout: Amnesty’s Rebecca White said the shutdown "amounts to a serious human rights violation", and Reporters Without Borders' Jonathan Dagher called for the immediate restoration of telecommunications and the release of 24 detained journalists.

Key Topics

World, Ali Khamenei, Iran Protests, Internet Blackout, Donald Trump, Amnesty International