In Iran, a first easing of the strict information control is emerging. As the national security authorities announced, the use of short message services (SMS) has been permitted again across the country. This service had been shut down during the intense mass protests to make it harder to organize demonstrations. Nevertheless, other digital communication channels, especially social media and messenger services, remain heavily restricted or blocked.
Parallel to the technical easing, the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, commented on the political situation. In a speech, he blamed foreign powers for the violent riots of the past weeks. He specifically named the US President Donald Trump as the driving force behind the unrest. According to Khamenei, 'hostile powers' had instrumentalized the protests to undermine the stability of the Islamic Republic. The demonstrations, triggered by economic hardship and social dissatisfaction, had plunged the country into a serious crisis, leading to numerous arrests and casualties.
Despite the restoration of SMS services, the situation remains tense. Observers view this step as an attempt at 'de-escalation' but point out that the fundamental causes of the population's dissatisfaction still exist. The international community continues to watch the Iranian leadership's actions against the opposition with great concern.
