Iran shuts internet and phone lines as nationwide protests surge after Reza Pahlavi’s call, with arrests, fatalities, and escalating unrest reported.

Iran’s telephone and internet services were disrupted on Thursday evening (January 8) when protesters joined a demonstration called by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. NetBlocks, an advocacy group, and the internet monitoring company Cloudflare reported a sharp decrease in internet traffic, attributing the outage to government intervention. According to the AP, both landline and mobile calls from Dubai to Iran were blocked.

Cloudflare pointed out that the action “selectively blocks internet access amid protests,” underscoring Tehran’s attempt to regulate communications in the face of growing discontent.

Nationwide protests are growing.

Initially triggered by Iran’s faltering economy, the protests have expanded to include a wider challenge to the theocratic regime in Iran. Following Pahlavi’s demand for widespread protests, witnesses said that Tehran residents gathered in the streets and yelled from their homes, according to AP.

Following similar occurrences on Wednesday, marketplaces and bazaars closed in solidarity of the protesters on Thursday. As of right now, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said that at least 39 individuals had been slain and over 2,260 had been arrested.

The Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi demands action.

Pahlavi, whose father left Iran prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, has called on the populace to participate in what may be a landmark test of his power. He called for protests on Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. local time.

Also read :  Trump Orders US Withdrawal From 31 UN Agencies and 35 International Organizations

“The world’s eyes are on you, great nation of Iran. “Take to the streets and shout your demands as a united front,” Pahlavi said in a statement. “The world and President Donald Trump are keeping a careful eye on you, the Islamic Republic, its leader, and the Revolutionary Guard. Suppression of the populace will not be tolerated.

“This battle is the final one! Pahlavi will be back! The streets were filled with thousands of people.

Iranian leadership is under pressure.

Pressure on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and civilian government has grown as a result of the escalating protests. Overwhelming security personnel have not yet been sent into the streets by the authorities.