Iranians in over 100 cities and towns across the country are protesting on the streets, shouting slogans against the regime and demanding greater rights.

As chants for freedom echoed across neighborhoods, Iran's government under President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by pulling the digital plug. Internet and international calls were blocked, a familiar tactic that often signals an imminent and forceful crackdown by Iran’s security apparatus.

Iranian leaders have apparently shut down internet and phone networks in Tehran as protests erupt in the capital. Cloudflare, an internet firm, and the advocacy group NetBlocks said sweeping internet outages were directly tied to the Iranian government.

Iran has insisted for decades that its nuclear program is peaceful. However, its officials have increasingly threatened to pursue a nuclear weapon. Iran had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels prior to the U.S. attack in June, making it the only country in the world without a nuclear weapons program to do so.

Iran facing "nationwide internet blackout," monitoring group says, amid hope that 12 days of deadly protests may swell into a tipping point against a repressive regime.

Protests have erupted in Iran's capital following a call by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for mass demonstrations

Verified videos show thousands marching peacefully through Tehran and Mashhad, chanting slogans that directly target the foundations of the Islamic Republic, including calls for the overthrow of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the return of monarchy under Reza Pahlavi.

Iran faces its biggest protests since 2022 as a nationwide internet blackout, reported deaths and US warnings intensify pressure on Tehran’s leadership.