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Iran Considers Lifting Internet Ban - State TV Hacked

Published January 19, 2026, 13:19
Iran Considers Lifting Internet Ban - State TV Hacked

Iran may lift its internet ban in the coming days, following the suppression of recent protests with mass violence. The protests, the worst since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, were met with a brutal crackdown, and the death toll is estimated at at least 5,000, including 500 security forces, according to an Iranian official. Opponents of the regime accuse authorities of using violence against peaceful protesters, while religious leaders blame armed groups backed by foreign enemies for attacks on hospitals and mosques. Simultaneously, Iranian state television reportedly suffered a cyberattack, during which speeches by Donald Trump and Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah, calling for an uprising, were broadcast. The cyberattack is further evidence of the authorities' inability to control the situation. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated that the decision to restore internet access will be made by the top security bodies in the coming days, when security conditions permit. However, other lawmakers, such as Hamid Rasaei, argue that authorities should have taken measures to control cyberspace earlier. The internet was largely cut off during the unrest, limiting access to information and communication. Its partial restoration has allowed reports of widespread attacks on protesters to emerge.