Iran is currently experiencing one of the most unstable moments in its recent history, driven by a deep economic collapse that has sparked protests across the country. What initially started as limited strikes over financial hardships quickly expanded into a nationwide movement. In response, authorities enforced a countrywide internet shutdown in an effort to regain control. The measure aimed to restrict communication and slow the spread of information among citizens, but instead became yet another powerful symbol of the crisis unfolding in Iran.
Iran’s population unites in economic revolt
These protests over the Iranian economy began due to the country’s economic collapse, which has affected millions of people. This problem has led to currency devaluation and high inflation, negatively impacting food prices and medicine prices in pharmacies. All these changes have transformed the protests from isolated incidents into a national movement against taxation.
According to protesters, the general dissatisfaction of Iranians is no longer solely financial, nor is it individual. Some of these Iranian protesters claim that the entire population is exhausted due to a lack of prospects and the absence of effective solutions from the government. People from different backgrounds began to gather in squares and streets to discuss their shared frustrations.
What the Iranian population did not expect was a swift and severe response from the authorities. Some human rights organizations have made serious reports of dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests, all over the course of two weeks. Also, reports of extremely crowded hospitals and people afraid to be identified for fear of reprisals were also common.
Consequences and reactions to the blackout
The network restriction affected businesses that depend on online sales, primarily impacting small local companies that temporarily lost their sales channels. Furthermore, many families were unable to contact relatives or close friends. With limited communication capabilities, the increased sense of uncertainty in the country was inevitable. However, it’s worth mentioning that the blackout was not enough to contain the protests, which continued to be organized, but this time in person with direct communication, amidst the internet blockade.
American reaction and disputes over narratives
From an international perspective, the United States reacted by immediately declaring its support for the Iranian protesters, criticizing the excessive use of force by the Iranian government. Despite the American declaration, it remains unclear what kind of assistance the nation intends to offer the population and if, in fact, any help will be given.
Internally, the Iranian government accused the United States of interfering in the country’s internal affairs by encouraging the protests, defining them as measures aimed at national destabilization. However, this narrative was not well received by Iranians, who see blaming external agents as a way of ignoring and diverting attention from the real daily problems that led the population to the streets.
Limited communication was not enough to contain the population
Despite the internet blackout, Iranians were able to seek alternative means of communication such as private networks or even physical meetings, with many undertaking personal trips to spread information and bring people together. In many cases, the blockade became yet another reason for outrage and reinforced the need to protest.
It is a fact that the internet blackout characterized one of the main points of the current Iranian crisis, representing the intensity of the government’s retaliation as an attempt to contain and diminish the impact of the protests. However, the measure had an immediate effect of causing outrage and further highlighted popular discontent with the country’s management, thus ensuring the continuation of public demands. The population’s insistence and the government’s response to it may define the future of Iran.
