Trump urges Iranians to 'take over' institutions as protests continue

President Trump on Tuesday called on Iranians to continue protesting and to “take over” their institutions, posting on Truth Social that those responsible for killing demonstrators would “pay a big price.” He said he had canceled meetings with Iranian officials and has threatened military intervention if Tehran uses lethal force against protesters.

The remarks came as some Iranians abroad reported receiving international calls from relatives inside Iran for the first time in days, despite an internet blackout that has curtailed information flowing out of the country. Those relatives, speaking to The New York Times, described chaotic and bloody protests, said demonstrators came under fire and in some cases were targeted by rooftop snipers, and reported that police had ordered some store owners to delete footage that might document the crackdown.

Digital experts said it was unclear what allowed the recent calls, which appeared to be mostly by landline, and warned that restoring such services could increase the risk of government monitoring because landlines are unencrypted. Alp Toker of NetBlocks described the national internet shutdown as a now-automated “kill switch,” and the authorities have also been jamming satellite services, including some Starlink terminals; Mr.

Trump has said he planned to enlist Elon Musk’s help to bypass the shutdown. Casualty counts vary.

Key Topics

World, Donald Trump, Iran, Antigovernment Protests, Internet Blackout, Starlink