Nationwide Internet Blackout as Protests Spread Across Iran

Iran plunged into an internet blackout on Thursday as nationwide protests demanding the ouster of the Islamic government spread to multiple cities, monitoring groups and witnesses said. Witnesses reported large, diverse crowds in Tehran and in cities including Mashhad, Bushehr, Shiraz and Isfahan, with chants such as "Death to Khamenei" and "freedom, freedom." Videos verified by The New York Times showed government buildings and streets on fire in several places, including Kaj Square, and a video from Karaj showed protesters fleeing after gunshots, though it was unclear who fired.

Internet connectivity data from NetBlocks and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s outage database showed an abrupt, near-total drop in connection levels on Thursday afternoon, indicating the country was almost completely offline. Iranian officials did not immediately respond to questions about the cause; the government has previously enforced blackouts during crises, and Omid Memarian, an Iranian human rights expert, said that "the Iranian government uses internet shutdowns as a tool of repression," according to the report.

The heads of the judiciary and the security services had warned of tough measures. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i told Iranian media the protests were plotted by the country’s enemy and said "this time no one will be spared," the article said.

Key Topics

World, Iran, Internet Blackout, Tehran, Kaj Square, Netblocks