Social media users in Iran say their phone lines have been cut off after posting political content or liking posts on Instagram, extending a practice previously reported among political activists and journalists.
Messages received by Iran International describe SIM cards being blocked without warning, demands for written pledges and difficulty finding out which authority can restore service.
The reports include a 70-year-old woman in Tehran who said she was summoned several times after posting a WhatsApp story supporting the Pahlavi dynasty. Her SIM card was blocked, and she was eventually required to sign a pledge not to publish similar content again.
The woman said she does not have an Instagram account and is not otherwise active on social media.
The use of SIM card blocking to pressure social media users has been reported before. On September 12, Iran International reported that political and civil activists in several cities had lost access to their phone lines without prior notice and had been unable to resolve the restrictions.
Phone lines blocked without warning
Other citizens said their phone lines were disconnected after they liked political posts on Instagram. Many said they received no explanation or advance notice.
One person told Iran International that his sister and brother-in-law had moved to Finland about three years ago, but his sister’s Hamrah-e Aval SIM card, which he had kept in Iran, was deactivated “by order of the cyber police.”
Another Iranian wrote to Iran International that all his phone lines had been blocked for two months.
“I went to the telecommunications office, and they said it was on the prosecutor’s orders. No matter which authority I approach, they won’t tell me what I’m supposed to do,” he wrote.
He said he was directed to call a number that he later learned belonged to the Revolutionary Guards’ Intelligence Organization.
“I’ve called many times, and no one answers. My entire life has been paralyzed,” he added.
A Tehran resident responding to his account said his SIM card had also been blocked in February or March and that he had gone to a prosecutor’s office in the capital to seek its restoration.
Written pledges
Iran International has previously reported that some citizens had their SIM cards blocked after publishing content critical of the Islamic Republic online.
Some were referred to the prosecutor’s office’s cyberspace division or Gerdab to seek restoration of service. In certain cases, they said they were required to sign written pledges to refrain from further critical activity.
Several families of people killed in the January 2026 crackdown in Iran have also said their SIM cards were blocked in recent weeks without notice after they shared information about their loved ones.
Daily life disrupted
Reports received by Iran International describe how SIM card blocking has disrupted citizens’ daily lives.
Many said mobile phones and phone lines are essential for everyday activities and that losing access can disrupt banking, ride-hailing and other online services.
Citizens also said they had received no clear explanation for why their lines were blocked or how to have them restored.
They described confusion and severe disruption to their lives, saying the restrictions had been imposed without judicial proceedings.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.