What is happening in Iran? Internet blackout and Israel blamed after widespread anti-regime protests
Buildings, buses and shops have been burned to the ground turning Iran’s capital Tehran into a “war zone” as protests break out across the country demanding the fall of the country’s supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khameini.
At least 38 people have been killed in violent clashes with police and 2,200 arrested, according to human rights groups.
This unrest follows a tumultuous period for Tehran, which is still recovering from a 12-day conflict in June, initiated by Israel, that saw US forces bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.
“This looks like a war zone – all the shops have been destroyed,” said an Iranian journalist in front of the fires on Shariati Street in the Caspian Sea port of Rasht.
Here’s what to know about the protests and the challenges facing Iran’s government.
Follow the latest updates here.
More than 340 protests have taken place across all of Iran’s 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Thursday. The death toll had reached at least 41, it added, with more than 2,270 arrests. The group relies on an activist network inside Iran for its reporting and has been accurate in past unrest.
Understanding the scale of the protests has been difficult. Iranian state media has provided little information about the demonstrations. Online videos offer only brief, shaky glimpses of people in the streets or the sound of gunfire. Journalists in general in Iran also face limits on reporting such as requiring permission to travel around the country, as well as the threat of harassment or arrest by authorities.
But the protests do not appear to be stopping, even after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said “rioters must be put in their place”.
The collapse of the rial has led to a widening economic crisis in Iran. Prices are up on meat, rice and other staples of the Iranian dinner table. The nation has been struggling with an annual inflation rate of some 40 per cent.
In December, Iran introduced a new pricing tier for its nationally subsidised gasoline, raising the price of some of the world’s cheapest gas and further pressuring the population. Tehran may seek steeper price increases in the future, as the government will now review prices every three months. Meanwhile, food prices are expected to spike after Iran’s Central Bank ended a preferential, subsidised dollar-rial exchange rate for all products except medicine and wheat.
The protests began in late December with merchants in Tehran before spreading. While initially focused on economic issues, the demonstrations soon saw protesters chanting anti-government statements as well. Anger has been simmering over the years, particularly after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.
A nationwide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday, according to internet monitoring group Netblocks. Iranians abroad have said they have been unable to contact their families due to the restrictions in place.
A statement from the group reads: “Live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout; the incident follows a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests across the country and hinders the public’s right to communicate at a critical moment.”
