What is Happening in Iran?

The State has cut off Iranians from the social media

Meanwhile, in Iran… on November 15, a sudden, unexpected rise in gas prices sparked anger. Close to 10,000 people protested this weekend in cities across the country. They demanded an end to the price hike, which had been put in place by President Rohani, with support from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Since the protests started, the government has reported that five people have been killed: three security personnel and two protesters. According to the UN, the death toll is much higher. Iran, a country with deep oil resources, had one of the world's lowest fuel prices. That price has doubled since then.

In Tehran and the rest of Iran, everything is dependent on fuel (prices). If the price of fuel goes up in the night, by day the price of rent will go up, as well as other living expenses, including fruit, vegetables, cereals, and everything. The chart featured in the video was published by the NGO NetBlocks. It shows how much of Iran's Internet network is being used, hour by hour. It was fluctuating between 85% and 100% until suddenly, on November 16, around 4 pm, it dropped to 5% and hasn't gone up since.

The government had just cut off its citizens from the rest of the world. Unlike in the US, in Iran, the government controls the Internet connection with the rest of the world. Which means they can also block it at any moment. The goal: reduce contact with the rest of the world, cut off Iranians from the social media, which they use actively, and in that way minimize the impact of the protest movement. It's a technique that is on the rise. Several countries, including Venezuela, Iraq and Pakistan, have recently cut the Internet during protest movements or military operations.

Brut.