Iran was plunged into a complete internet blackout on Thursday night as protests over economic conditions spread across all 31 provinces. The outage was first reported by the internet freedom monitor NetBlocks, which had earlier detected disruptions in the western city of Kermanshah. Iranian authorities have previously shut down the internet in response to protests.
At least 45 protesters, including eight children, have been killed by security forces since the demonstrations began 12 days ago, according to the Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights. The crackdown has intensified, with reports of raids on hospitals to detain wounded protesters. Amnesty International accused authorities of using “unlawful force”.
Shopkeepers heeded calls from seven Kurdish political groups for a general strike, closing their doors in Kurdish regions and dozens of other cities. In the southern Fars province, demonstrators pulled down a statue of former Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Suleimani. Large crowds gathered on Thursday night on Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard in north-west Tehran and in the western city of Abadan.
The protests were triggered by a sudden slide in the country’s currency and general economic malaise. Food prices have increased by more than 70% since last year, and medicine by about 50%. President Masoud Pezeshkian called for restraint and dialogue, urging “utmost restraint” and “listening to the people’s demands”. The government has blamed harsh Western sanctions for the economic crisis.
