US to ease internet curbs in Iran
The US says it will ease internet restrictions on Iran to counter Tehran’s crackdown on protests sparked by the death of a woman in police custody.
“We will make sure that the Iranian people are not isolated and kept in limbo,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
The relaxation of software controls will allow US technology companies to expand their operations in Iran.
At least 35 people have died in the worst riots in Iran in years. Mahsa Amini, 22, went into a coma last week, hours after the morality police arrested her for allegedly violating the rules of the veil.
The officers reportedly hit Ms. Amini’s head with a truncheon and slammed her into one of their vehicles. Police said there is no evidence of assault and that she suffered from “sudden heart failure”.
Anti-government protests continued for eight consecutive nights on Friday, while pro-regime demonstrations also took place in Tehran and other cities.
Blinken said the partial easing of restrictions on the internet was a “concrete step to provide significant support to Iranians demanding respect for their fundamental rights.” It was clear, he added, that the Iranian government “was afraid of his own people”.
The US Treasury said the move would help counter the Iranian government’s attempt to “surveil and censor” its people. But it is unlikely to have an immediate impact because it “does not remove all tools for cracking down on communications”.
Billionaire Elon Musk said on Twitter that he would activate his satellite internet company, Starlink, to provide internet services to Iran in response to Mr. Blinken’s announcement. Starlink provides Internet services through an extensive network of satellites and caters to people living in remote areas who cannot access high-speed Internet.
US officials said the updated license did not cover material provided by Mr. Musk, but his company and others were urged to seek Treasury clearance. Footage shared on social media on Friday showed large crowds of protesters gathering in several neighborhoods in Tehran after dark as other incidents unfolded across the country.
In protests that swept across much of the country, women defiantly threw off their hijabs and burned them or cut their hair in front of cheering crowds.
Pro-regime protests also erupted in Tehran and other cities on Friday, with those present declaring their support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been targeted by anti-government protesters.
Speaking at a pro-government event, President Ebrahim Raisi said he would not allow the country’s security to be “threatened”. “We will in no way allow the safety of people to be compromised,” he said shortly after returning from the UN General Assembly in New York. He underlines that Iran.
This is the situation of women in Iran. A 22 year old woman was killed in Iran because of the mandatory hijab.#Mahsa_Amini #MahsaAmini #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/nzLjwrhnQt
— Maryam Shokrani (@shokrani_maryam) September 16, 2022
