Iran sees 116 protests across 22 provinces in a day despite internet shutdown: Report

Iran witnessed a surge in nationwide unrest with at least 116 protests across 22 provinces recorded since January 8, despite a near-total internet shutdown imposed by the authorities, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

In a statement posted on X, the Washington-based policy research organisation said it documented the protests since 3:30 pm (local time) on January 8, including 20 large-scale demonstrations, defined as gatherings involving more than 1,000 participants.

“CTP-ISW has recorded 116 protests across 22 provinces since 3:30 PM ET on January 8. Twenty of these protests were large protests,” the institute said, adding that the actual scale of unrest is likely higher due to restrictions on online communication.

The ISW noted that the Iranian regime has maintained a nationwide internet shutdown in an apparent attempt to disrupt protest coordination and obscure the extent of repression. However, protest activity has continued across the country despite the blackout.

“The protests in Iran may have expanded to such an extent that they are challenging Iranian security forces’ ability to suppress them,” the report said. It added that protesters damaged government institutions in multiple cities on January 8 and 9, and that local law enforcement forces may be facing capacity constraints, potentially forcing the regime to rely more heavily on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Some protesters have reportedly bypassed the shutdown using Starlink satellite internet to send videos and information to foreign media outlets.

Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad shared videos she said were received from inside Iran via Starlink. “Internet access is the lifeline of Iran’s uprising,” she said, adding that the shutdown has now affected nearly 90 million people.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed that the nationwide internet blackout had continued for over 36 hours, significantly limiting Iranians’ ability to communicate or check on the safety of friends and family.

As protests intensified, several world leaders condemned the reported killing and arrest of demonstrators. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada and the European Union praised the courage of Iranian citizens and criticised the regime’s alleged crackdown on protesters.

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