The regime in Tehran is now responding to the mass protests by blocking mobile phones and the internet. Iran has been largely offline since Thursday evening (January 8).
“There are huge disruptions to all communication routes, especially the Starlink network,” confirmed Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at the Mian organization. He is referring to the satellite system belonging to billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
The authorities could keep the internet shut down for a long time, Rashidi tells DW. "For the regime, this is a matter of survival."
Footage from the first hours of the protests showed large numbers of people taking to the streets across the country. "We just want to walk," many wrote in private messages or posted on social media.
According to activists, 116 citizens were killed in this wave of protests, while between two and three thousand were arrested.
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Since Thursday, the gatherings have been semi-organized, always at 20 p.m. local time. Citizens have been invited to gather and shout slogans against the regime in the streets or from their balconies.
The action was initiated by Prince Reza Pahlavi (65), son of the last Shah, who has been living in exile in the US since 1979. "Depending on your reaction, I will issue further calls for action," Pahlavi promised in a video that has been viewed more than 80 million times on Instagram.
But it is unclear how much the protesters care about the monarchy. It was abolished in the 1979 revolution. Few Iranians even remember the Shah's time, but the Pahlavis are helped by the lack of a clear opposition within the country.
Resistance structures within Iran are barely able to be established. Repressive measures, targeted attacks and demonization of the opposition have been part of everyday life since 1979.
Then the religious wing around Ayatollah Khomeini took control and has systematically suppressed any opposition ever since. Mass protests across the country over the past 25 years have been brutally suppressed several times.
Bloody suppression of protests
In this situation, lawyer Marzieh Mohebi is appealing to the international community. "It must not leave the protesters in Iran alone," she told DW. During the 2022 wave of protests under the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom," the lawyer herself was targeted by security forces and had to leave the country. She has been living in exile in France for two years.
“In my hometown of Mashhad, people have now seen a huge turnout in all parts of the city,” says Mohebi. “The protests have taken on a new form: not only young people, but also many families. While the internet was still available, there were reports of clashes between protesters and security forces.”
But now all electronic communication channels are blocked. "The isolation could be aimed at establishing a military regime and carrying out large-scale massacres," Mohebi fears.
"The Iranian people are helpless. Their voice is silenced. There is no possibility of communication."
Trump threatens Tehran
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has strongly condemned the protests across the country. On Friday, he spoke of "troublemakers" and people who are harming the country.
“There are also people whose job is destruction,” Khamenei said. They cause destruction “just to make the president of the United States happy,” he added, alluding to Donald Trump.
"Iran may be as close to freedom as it has ever been," Trump said. He threatened "severe punishment" for the regime in Tehran if it "starts killing people" and announced that the United States was ready to "help" the protesters.
Trump previously called Prince Reza Pahlavi a "nice man" in a podcast. "I think we'll have to see who prevails. I'm not sure a meeting with him would be appropriate."
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