Protesters vow to continue in Iran
Leaders blame social media, shut down sites
Iran’s leadership says it stopped days of protests by severing social media channels in the country, but demonstrators vowed to press ahead despite the internet restrictions.
Authorities cut access to Telegram, a popular messaging service similar to WhatsApp, earlier in the week, and on Friday one of the regime’s most senior clerics said the move effectively stamped out the unrest.
“Cyberspace was kindling the fire of the battle,” said Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami at Friday prayers. “When cyberspace was closed down, the sedition was stopped. The nation does not support a social network that has its key in the hands of the United States.”
But opposition activists said the protests were still ongoing, even if the internet restrictions and Iranian government censorship meant images and videos were slow in reaching the outside world.
“They are saying the demonstrations are over, but the demonstrations are actually still happening and the pictures are coming out on a delay,” said Ali Reza, an opposition activist.
Footage emerged Friday that appeared to show thousands attending funerals for two demonstrators killed in the western city of Masjed Soleyman. Others posted videos of people burning bank notes bearing the face of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.
Thousands of pro-government demonstrators, meanwhile, took to the streets in Tehran and the cities of Tabriz and Kerman for a third consecutive day in an orchestrated government show of strength.
The UN Security Council was due to meet last night, at the request of the U.S., to discuss the situation in Iran. Russia, an ally of Tehran, accused the U.S. of “shamelessly” interfering in Iran’s internal affairs.
As the battle of narratives continued, Iran’s embassy in London complained to Ofcom, the broadcast regulator, alleging U.K.-based Farsi-language channels fuelled the protests. The letter accused the U.K. broadcasters of “trying to incite the protesters in Iran to resort to riot and armed violence,” according to Iran’s Press TV.
Around 1,000 people have been arrested since the demonstrations began last week, with the government warning of harsher punishments for those arrested after the first 48 hours.