Presidential Adviser Warns Against Prolonged Internet Shutdown in Iran
Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, has issued a stark warning to authorities, urging them to restore internet access across the nation following a widespread blackout imposed during recent protests. In a Telegram post, Pezeshkian argued that attempting to delay the circulation of videos showing the violent crackdown on demonstrators is futile and counterproductive.
Growing Dissatisfaction and Economic Fallout
"Shutting down the internet will not solve anything, we will just postpone the issue," Pezeshkian wrote. He emphasised that maintaining the digital blockade would only "create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government," potentially adding previously content citizens to the ranks of the discontented. The sporadic lifting of restrictions has allowed a slow, painful investigation into the protest death toll, with rights groups documenting several thousand fatalities. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights estimates the final figure could reach as high as 25,000, with thousands more still detained.
Meanwhile, the economic consequences are mounting. Iran's computer trade organisation reports the shutdown is costing $20 million (£15 million) daily, disrupting businesses and cross-border logistics. Tehran's stock market has remained in decline, and the rial continues to weaken against the dollar, exacerbating the inflation that helped spark the initial unrest. Traders describe being granted only 20 minutes of supervised internet access per day—insufficient for normal business operations.
Humanitarian Crisis and Political Divisions
Graphic images of deceased children have begun appearing on Iranian internet sites, highlighting the human cost. Dr Ghasem Fakhraei, director of Tehran's Farabi Eye Hospital, revealed that staff have performed emergency eye surgeries on over 1,000 patients since the protests began, with wards overflowing. The prominent Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid condemned the violent suppression of protests in January as an "organised massacre."
Within the regime, a battle is underway over the political risks of continuing the internet blockade. While President Pezeshkian and Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi support relaxing restrictions, Ali Larijani, head of the supreme national security council, opposes the move. This internal dispute is being openly reported by Iranian journalists, indicating deep divisions at the highest levels.
Challenges to Official Narratives and Public Despair
The limited restoration of internet access is applying pressure to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) narrative, which attributes the high death toll solely to subversive activities by foreign intelligence agencies like Israel's Mossad. Reformist former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi questioned this account, asking, "If the agents of Mossad and foreign countries are at work, how did they suddenly carry out these disasters throughout the country?"
Protesters contacted by international media expressed profound despair, with some blaming former US President Donald Trump for failing to deliver promised support. One individual stated, "Bodies are intact, but hearts and minds are shattered," capturing the emotional toll of the crisis. Another lamented the government's ineffectiveness, noting, "This government does not show any power in any area."
As Iran grapples with this multifaceted crisis, the call from the president's own son underscores the urgent need for a resolution that addresses both the immediate humanitarian concerns and the underlying economic and political tensions fueling the unrest.
