TEHRAN, January 13, 2024 — The son of Iran’s president is urging authorities to restore internet access, warning that the ongoing blackout—now exceeding two weeks—risks fueling further discontent among the Iranian people.
A Risky Silence: President’s Son Calls for Internet Restoration
Yousef Pezeshkian believes cutting off connectivity is backfiring, potentially adding to the ranks of those already opposed to the government.
- Yousef Pezeshkian, a media advisor to his father, President Masoud Pezeshkian, publicly called for an end to the internet shutdown.
- The blackout, imposed January 8 amid widespread protests, has largely cut off Iran’s 90 million+ citizens from the outside world.
- Rights groups estimate thousands have been killed during the crackdown following the protests, with figures potentially reaching 25,000.
- Pezeshkian acknowledged potential mistakes by security forces and suggested addressing them rather than suppressing information.
“Keeping the internet shut will create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government,” Yousef Pezeshkian said in a Telegram post, which was subsequently reported by Iran’s state news agency, IRNA. “This means those who were not and are not dissatisfied will be added to the list of the dissatisfied.”
Pezeshkian argued that the risks associated with restoring internet connectivity are less severe than those of prolonging the blackout. He expressed concern over the potential release of videos and images documenting “last week’s ‘protests that turned violent’”, but questioned the logic of continued suppression.
What is the justification for maintaining the internet shutdown in Iran? Authorities cite concerns about the dissemination of footage related to the protests, but critics argue this is a misguided attempt to control the narrative.
Echoing a traditional Persian proverb, Pezeshkian posted, “‘He whose account is clean has nothing to fear from scrutiny’”. He also acknowledged the role of foreign interference in escalating the violence, but conceded that “the security and law enforcement forces may have made mistakes that no one intends to defend and that must be addressed.”
The protests began amid growing economic hardship and social restrictions. Under the cover of the internet blackout, Iranian authorities launched a forceful crackdown on demonstrators. Rights groups have documented several thousand deaths, while the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights estimates the final death toll could exceed 25,000. The Iranian government, however, reports a lower toll of 3,117, categorizing 2,427 as “martyrs”—a designation used to differentiate security personnel and innocent bystanders from those labeled as “rioters” allegedly incited by the United States and Israel.
Pezeshkian admitted he did not know when internet access would be restored, but emphasized that “the release of films is something we will have to face sooner or later. Shutting down the internet won’t solve anything; it will just postpone the issue.”
