Iran entered a 12th consecutive night of widespread anti-government protests as authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown, drawing international attention and sharp criticism from exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
Nationwide Internet Blackout As Unrest Spreads
Iranian authorities shut down internet access across the country on Thursday, according to NetBlocks, which confirmed a nationwide outage.
The monitoring group said Tehran and several other major cities were entering a state of “digital blackout.”
There are also reports of continued disruptions, severe slowdowns and repeated outages across dozens of cities, limiting Iranians’ ability to communicate and share information as protests continued.
Benzinga was unable to access the websites of several Iranian news outlets, receiving error messages consistent with a broader communications blackout.
Protests Enter 12th Night Amid Economic Crisis
The protests, now in their 12th day, were sparked by Iran’s worsening economic conditions, soaring inflation and falling living standards.
Demonstrations have spread to cities that had not previously seen unrest, including parts of Tehran.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based nonprofit, at least 42 people have been killed during the unrest, including five minors under 18 and eight members of the security forces.
In some areas, clashes between protesters and security forces have turned violent.
Verified Videos Contradict State Media Claims
Iranian state media has downplayed the scale of the demonstrations, broadcasting footage of empty streets and claiming conditions are normal, reported BBC.
State outlets have described protesters in Tehran as a small group of “rioters.”
However, the publication has verified multiple videos showing large crowds in several cities. One verified video shows buildings on fire near the office of the Young Journalists Club, a subsidiary of Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB.
The cause of the fire remains unclear.
Another verified video from Khorramabad shows a protester raising Iran’s Lion and Sun flag to cheers from the crowd, a powerful symbol associated with opposition to the current regime.
Reza Pahlavi Praises Trump, Urges Global Action
Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, said on X that “millions of Iranians demanded their freedom” and accused the government of cutting off all communications to silence dissent.
The regime in Iran has shut down the Internet, cut landlines and “may even attempt to jam satellite” signals, Pahlavi said. He thanked President Donald Trump for “reiterating his promise to hold the regime to account” and urged European leaders to act.
Rising Odds Of Iran’s Supreme Leader Losing Power
Meanwhile, prediction markets have sharply increased the likelihood that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could lose power this year. The probability of Iran’s supreme leader being ousted by midyear climbed to 36% on Polymarket, up from 28% a day earlier and 21% a week ago.
Photo: Shutterstock/GraphixTreasure
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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