Iran partially restores international calls amid ongoing blackout

Tuesday 13 January 2026 - 08:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran partially restores international calls amid ongoing blackout

Iranian mobile users regained limited ability to make international calls on Tuesday following a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests that prompted the government to sever both internet access and outbound calling capabilities. Residents in Tehran contacted an Associated Press journalist, though calls from the agency's Dubai office could not connect back. This partial restoration comes as the country enters its fifth day of near-total communication shutdowns, isolating millions from the world.

Internet monitoring firm NetBlocks reports nationwide connectivity at just 1% of normal levels, with text messaging still unavailable and witnesses confirming persistent internet blackouts. The restrictions began on January 8 as protests intensified, with demonstrators openly challenging the authority of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The cutoff followed an exiled heir's call for nationwide demonstrations that evening.

Human rights groups estimate at least 648 protesters killed since unrest erupted on December 28, per Norway-based Iran Human Rights, though the true toll may be far higher. The Agency for Militant Human Rights reports over 10,600 arrests. The public prosecutor warned that participants face charges as "enemies of God," punishable by death.

Pro-government rallies filled streets in Tehran and other major cities on Monday, organized by authorities as a show of strength. State television broadcast footage of crowds in the tens of thousands chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi promised internet restoration "soon" while claiming evidence of U.S. and Israeli involvement in the unrest. However, Mohammad Amin Aqamiri of Iran's National Cyberspace Center stated the blackout would persist until calm returns.

Despite the restrictions, some Iranians access the internet via SpaceX's Starlink satellite service, beaming connectivity from thousands of orbiting satellites. President Trump said Sunday he plans to discuss restoring Iranian internet access with Elon Musk. "We could restore internet if possible," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "We could talk to Elon. He's very good at that sort of thing." Though banned in Iran where parliament passed harsh penalties in June 2025 NetBlocks founder Alp Toker confirmed Starlink access remains "uneven but active."