Iran has been plunged into an internet and telecommunications blackout following a night of widespread protests, triggered by a public call to action from the country's exiled crown prince. The demonstrations, which saw thousands take to the streets of Tehran and other cities, represent a significant escalation in nationwide unrest.
Night of Fire and Defiance
The protests erupted after Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, appealed for mass demonstrations. In the capital, thousands shouted from their homes and set fires in the streets, in a powerful display of dissent. The events mark a first major test of the exiled prince's influence over the Iranian public, whose father fled the country just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Estimates suggest over 100,000 people were on the streets the night of the prince's call, with many chanting in support of the monarchy—an act that was once punishable by death. This bold shift underscores the depth of anger fuelling the protests, which originated from Iran's severe economic crisis but have since broadened in scope.
Nationwide Unrest and Mounting Casualties
The protests, which began on Wednesday, continued through Thursday, spreading from major cities to rural towns. In a show of solidarity, numerous markets and bazaars shut their doors. The human cost, however, is rising sharply.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 41 people have been killed in violence surrounding the demonstrations, with more than 2,270 others detained. Official and semi-official Iranian news agencies reported several attacks on security forces, resulting in multiple fatalities, including a police colonel stabbed outside Tehran and two Revolutionary Guard members killed in Kermanshah.
A Government Response Deemed Inadequate
The surge in civil disobedience comes despite the government's recent attempt to address the economic hardship sparking the unrest. Authorities have proposed a plan to give most of Iran's 90 million citizens coupons worth the equivalent of £5 per month, aimed at offsetting the removal of a critical subsidy for essential goods.
Government spokesperson Fatameh Mohajerani stated the plan is meant to preserve purchasing power and control inflation. Labour minister Ahmad Maydari confirmed the aid would come as commodity coupons, not cash, to limit price pressures. For many protesters, this measure is seen as vastly insufficient to solve the country's worst economic crisis since the revolution.
The simultaneous blackout of internet access and phone lines immediately as protests began highlights the authorities' attempt to stifle coordination and news flow, a familiar tactic in times of upheaval. The coming days will prove crucial in determining the momentum of this new wave of protest and the government's response.
