Limited internet access briefly returned in Iran before dropping again, a monitor said Sunday, as the country entered its tenth day under a sweeping communications blackout that rights groups say is being used to conceal a deadly crackdown that has killed thousands, AFP reported.
Demonstrations that erupted in late December over severe economic hardship quickly grew into the largest challenge to Iran’s leadership in years. The protests subsided only after what rights groups have described as a “massacre" carried out under the cover of the January 8 shutdown.
Netblocks reported Sunday that “traffic levels have fallen after a brief, heavily filtered restoration of select Google and messaging services in Iran".
Iranian officials insist the demonstrations were peaceful before turning into “riots", blaming foreign interference from the United States and Israel.
Despite the rhetoric, Iranian officials claim calm has returned. AFP correspondents reported security forces with armored vehicles and motorcycles deployed in central Tehran.
Some users reported limited access to WhatsApp, while international calls resumed Tuesday and text messaging returned Saturday. Fars news agency reported that the CEO of Irancell, the country’s second‑largest mobile operator, was dismissed for failing to comply with the government’s shutdown order.
A senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency earlier on Sunday that at least 5,000 people were killed during the latest wave of protests in the country.
According to the official, the fatalities include approximately 500 security personnel. He claimed that “terrorists and armed rioters" are responsible for the deaths of many civilians during the clashes.
Iran Human Rights, based in Norway, says it has confirmed 3,428 protester deaths through medical sources, witnesses and independent channels, warning the true toll is likely far higher.
Other estimates place the number above 5,000 - and possibly as high as 20,000 - though the blackout has severely hindered verification. Iran International, an opposition outlet, has reported at least 12,000 deaths, citing senior Iranian officials. Iran’s judiciary has rejected that figure.