Iran is in absolute chaos currently, and now it seems they have lost all connection, literally. Iran has erupted in some of the largest nationwide protests seen in years as economic hardship and political frustration push citizens out onto the streets across the country.
What began in late December as smaller demonstrations in Tehran Bazaar against the crippling fall in the value of the rial and soaring prices for basic goods has swiftly grown into a nationwide movement of dissent reaching all 31 provinces. Protesters have been met with a harsh crackdown, as per reports, with human rights groups reporting many deaths and thousands of arrests since the unrest began.
Now, the Iranian authorities' decision to cut off internet access and phone lines has only increased the chaos and gotten international attention, including from US President Donald Trump. Many Iranians reportedly chanted slogans demanding freedom and change, and some called for an end to the current rule. There are also reports that figures, including Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, called for coordinated demonstrations, adding a political dimension that gets into longer-standing problems.
Why the Protests Have Erupted
These super contentious bunch of protests started primarily due to Iran's highly deteriorating economic situation. Iranians have been struggling with high inflation, with the prices of essentials such as meat, rice and fuel rising a lot, putting unbearable pressure on ordinary households. Also, the collapse of the national currency has exacerbated this hardship and led to complete frustration
In December, markets and bazaars across cities witnessed shutdowns, and the focus of the demonstrations increased from economic complaints to political demands. While the exact figures remain difficult to verify because of the communications blackout, independent monitors say the protests have spread from Tehran to cities such as Isfahan, Mashhad and Shiraz, with public strikes and civil disobedience adding to the unrest.
Moreover, these protests are very different from previous protests, which were sometimes localised or driven by a single issue. Now the unrest has taken on a much larger character that is about governance and freedom of expression.
The authorities' response has been forceful, it seems. According to reports, security forces have used live ammunition, tear gas and mass arrests in attempts to suppress the unrest, resulting in the unfortunate loss of life and growing fear.
Reports from human rights organisations say that upwards of 11 to 28 people have been killed in clashes, and hospitals have been targeted in efforts to detain wounded demonstrators. The regime also alleges that foreign interference is behind the unrest, blaming external actors for stoking dissent. But many reports say the scale and intensity of the protests are caused by huge domestic frustrations that have been building for years.
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The Internet Shutdown and What It Means
In a bid to reportedly curb communication among protesters and to possibly slow the flow of information to the outside world, Iran's authorities reportedly imposed an unprecedented nationwide internet blackout, but some reports also say the internet outage was unexplained.
Some online monitoring groups, including NetBlocks, have shown that connections across multiple service providers have been cut or are very restricted, leaving much of the population effectively offline at a dangerous time.
Further reports show that this step is part of a pattern of digital censorship that Tehran has employed during previous unrest, but the scale this time is unprecedented in its breadth and timing. Reports indicate that mobile internet services have been particularly affected, though some fixed-line connections remain partially operational, allowing at least minimal access for essential services. Even so, the blackout has effectively cut everyday Iranians from the global communications network and made independent reporting from within the country much harder.
