Tehran claims internet shutdown ‘has ended sedition’
Demonstrators say protests are continuing as embassy accuses UK broadcasters of fuelling the unrest
IRAN’S leadership says it has stopped days of protests by severing social media channels in the country, but demonstrators have 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 yesterday one of the regime’s most senior clerics said that the move had 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 that images and videos were 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 yesterday that appeared to show thousands of people 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 slow in 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 US, to discuss the situation in Iran. Russia, an ally of Tehran, accused the US 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 that Uk-based Farsi-language channels had fuelled the protests. State media did not say which channels Iran was accusing but Tehran has often targeted the BBC Persian service. The letter accused the UK 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 on Dec 28, with the government warning of harsher punishments for those arrested after the first 48 hours.
Activists said dozens of university students had been taken into custody in a wave of arrests, potentially in a pre-emptive move to try to stop them from organising future protests. Many were arrested at the University of Tehran, traditionally a hotbed of activism.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), which has been fighting Iran and its allies Syria and Iraq, hailed the protests as a “revolution against the regime”.
Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, was quick to link Isil with Saudi Arabia and the Trump administration. He wrote on Twitter: “Eternal bedfellows Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Isil – following Trump’s lead – all endorse violence, death and destruction in Iran. Why are we not surprised.”