Iran experienced a nationwide internet and telecommunications blackout on Thursday night as security forces moved to suppress widespread protests following a public call to action from exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
Monitoring groups Cloudflare and NetBlocks confirmed the connectivity disruption, attributing it to government interference—a tactic historically used ahead of severe crackdowns on civil unrest.
Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, had urged Iranians to take to the streets at 8 p.m. local time on Thursday and Friday to demand political change. Footage and witness accounts showed neighborhoods across Tehran and other cities responding with chants of “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic!” Some crowds openly voiced support for the former monarchy, chanting, “Pahlavi will return!”
In a recorded statement, Pahlavi declared, “Great nation of Iran, the eyes of the world are upon you. Take to the streets and, as a united front, shout your demands.” He warned the government that global attention—and specifically that of U.S. President Donald Trump—was focused on Iran and that “suppression of the people will not go unanswered.”
The latest wave of unrest began in late December, initially driven by traders protesting economic hardship, but has since expanded into broader anti-government demonstrations fueled by economic strain, international sanctions, and discontent with clerical rule. According to U.S.-based human rights monitors, at least 39 people have been killed and more than 2,260 detained since the protests began.
President Trump recently warned Iran against violently suppressing peaceful demonstrators, stating America would “come to their rescue.” Iranian authorities dismissed Trump’s remarks as hypocritical and accused the U.S. of interfering in Iran's internal affairs.
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