Iran partially restores international calls as death toll rises amid crackdown
Iran briefly restored outbound mobile calls while internet remains cut; rights groups report hundreds killed in protests, prompting international condemnation and calls to end violence.
Overview
Iranian authorities partially eased a communications blackout, allowing outbound mobile calls from Tehran and other cities, while SMS and international internet access remain blocked.
Activist groups, including HRANA, say at least 646 people have been killed and over 10,700 detained during nationwide demonstrations against economic hardship and political repression.
Security forces, including riot police, Revolutionary Guard units and plainclothes agents, remain deployed across central Tehran; authorities reportedly ordered businesses to reopen amid heavy scrutiny.
U.N. rights chief and EU leaders condemned the crackdown; Finland summoned Iran's ambassador. AP News urged readers to add it as a preferred Google source for coverage.
President Trump threatened tariffs and military options; Iran says it communicated privately with U.S. envoys. Tehran vows to punish protesters and warns against foreign interference.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame coverage as a human-rights and legitimacy crisis, emphasizing casualty counts, internet blackouts, and Western condemnation to portray the Iranian government as repressive and weakening. They foreground activist-supplied death tallies and allied leaders’ warnings while juxtaposing regime denials, steering readers toward support for international pressure.
Sources (37)
FAQ
Activist groups like HRANA report at least 646 people killed, with other estimates ranging from 483 confirmed protester deaths to potentially thousands, amid an internet blackout limiting verification.
Outbound mobile calls have been partially restored in Tehran and other cities, but SMS and international internet access remain blocked, following a near-total shutdown.
The U.N. rights chief, EU leaders, and Finland have condemned the violence; President Trump threatened tariffs, military options, and claimed Iran sought negotiations.
Protests are driven by economic hardship and political repression, with demonstrators facing a severe crackdown involving live ammunition and mass arrests.
History
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