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Amid a near-total internet blackout, some Iranians have turned to landline phones to inform relatives abroad about the use of lethal force against protesters, according to accounts shared on Tuesday. Reports describe people relying on fixed-line calls to communicate with the outside world while remaining largely confined indoors as security forces intensify a nationwide crackdown.
The brief window of international calls came just hours before US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue protesting against their government and warned that those responsible for killing demonstrators would “pay a big price”.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said he had cancelled mee==tings with Iranian officials and repeated threats of consequences if lethal force continued to be used against protesters.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!,” Trump wrote. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”
Trump has also threatened to intervene militarily in Iran on behalf of protesters if authorities escalate violence.
On Tuesday morning, several Iranians living abroad said they received landline calls from family members inside Iran. Speaking to The New York Times, they said their relatives described chaotic and bloody protests, with demonstrators coming under fire from security forces and, in some cases, from snipers positioned on rooftops.
The callers also said police had checked security camera footage in shops and ordered owners to delete any material that might document the crackdown. Once the calls ended, relatives abroad said they were unable to reconnect.
“I just shed tears after the call,” said Soudabeh, in Britain. “My sister’s voice was strong and resolute. My mother sounded anguished.”
Iran is facing its most extensive protests in years against the country’s clerical leadership, after economic grievances over the past two weeks widened into a broader challenge to the regime.
An internet block imposed last week sharply curtailed communications as demonstrations spread and security forces moved to suppress them. Digital experts said it was not immediately clear what enabled the international calls on Tuesday, which appeared to rely largely on landlines.
According to one account, protesters in Tehran became hesitant to go out from Friday onwards after the government sent text messages warning they risked being killed if they joined demonstrations.
Callers described how the crackdown forced many people to stay inside their homes, with some venturing out only to buy groceries or run errands during daylight hours. Several said they personally knew individuals who had been killed in the protests, according to relatives abroad.
Rights groups and at least one senior Iranian health ministry official have said hundreds of people, and possibly thousands, have been killed during the unrest.
The latest internet shutdown has been among the most severe national disruptions globally, according to Alp Toker, founder of the British internet watchdog NetBlocks. While Iran has cut internet access during previous protests, including during demonstrations for women’s freedom in 2022, those shutdowns were gradual.
“This time, the process has been fully automated into an actual kill switch that enables the authority to cut off the entire nation, which is extraordinary,” Toker said.
Digital rights experts cautioned that limited restoration of communication could carry risks for citizens.
“There is now a much bigger risk associated with using those landlines, because they aren’t secured and they aren’t encrypted,” Toker said, adding that this may be why landline services were selectively enabled.
Authorities have also been jamming satellite services, particularly Starlink terminals, though the disruption is not complete and some communication remains possible.
Starlink is operated by SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk. Trump said on Sunday that he planned to enlist Musk’s help to bypass Iran’s internet shutdown and restore connectivity.
According to Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of the technology non-profit Holistic Resilience, previously inactive Starlink accounts in Iran are now connected, with subscription fees waived as of Tuesday.
“It’s plug and connect … just put [the satellite terminal] somewhere that has access to a clear view of the sky, and you’re good to go,” he told CNN.
The communications blackout has limited the flow of information from Iran and hindered efforts to verify casualties. The Iran Human Rights group, based in Oslo, has reported nearly 700 protester deaths, while HRANA, a rights organisation in Washington, said it had confirmed the deaths of 1,850 protesters and 135 government and military personnel. Some sources reported the death toll as high as 12,000.
With the internet largely inaccessible, Starlink has, in some cases, become “the only way to get the information out” about protesters being killed, Ahmadian said. With thousands of low-orbit satellites linking ground terminals, the service has emerged as a significant communication channel in tightly controlled environments and conflict zones.
The brief window of international calls came just hours before US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue protesting against their government and warned that those responsible for killing demonstrators would “pay a big price”.
Trump calls for continued protests
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said he had cancelled mee==tings with Iranian officials and repeated threats of consequences if lethal force continued to be used against protesters.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!,” Trump wrote. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!”
Trump has also threatened to intervene militarily in Iran on behalf of protesters if authorities escalate violence.
Calls from inside Iran describe deadly force
On Tuesday morning, several Iranians living abroad said they received landline calls from family members inside Iran. Speaking to The New York Times, they said their relatives described chaotic and bloody protests, with demonstrators coming under fire from security forces and, in some cases, from snipers positioned on rooftops.
The callers also said police had checked security camera footage in shops and ordered owners to delete any material that might document the crackdown. Once the calls ended, relatives abroad said they were unable to reconnect.
“I just shed tears after the call,” said Soudabeh, in Britain. “My sister’s voice was strong and resolute. My mother sounded anguished.”
Protests expand as communications are cut
Iran is facing its most extensive protests in years against the country’s clerical leadership, after economic grievances over the past two weeks widened into a broader challenge to the regime.
An internet block imposed last week sharply curtailed communications as demonstrations spread and security forces moved to suppress them. Digital experts said it was not immediately clear what enabled the international calls on Tuesday, which appeared to rely largely on landlines.
According to one account, protesters in Tehran became hesitant to go out from Friday onwards after the government sent text messages warning they risked being killed if they joined demonstrations.
Homes become shelters amid fear
Callers described how the crackdown forced many people to stay inside their homes, with some venturing out only to buy groceries or run errands during daylight hours. Several said they personally knew individuals who had been killed in the protests, according to relatives abroad.
Rights groups and at least one senior Iranian health ministry official have said hundreds of people, and possibly thousands, have been killed during the unrest.
A nationwide ‘kill switch’
The latest internet shutdown has been among the most severe national disruptions globally, according to Alp Toker, founder of the British internet watchdog NetBlocks. While Iran has cut internet access during previous protests, including during demonstrations for women’s freedom in 2022, those shutdowns were gradual.
“This time, the process has been fully automated into an actual kill switch that enables the authority to cut off the entire nation, which is extraordinary,” Toker said.
Risks of restored landline access
Digital rights experts cautioned that limited restoration of communication could carry risks for citizens.
“There is now a much bigger risk associated with using those landlines, because they aren’t secured and they aren’t encrypted,” Toker said, adding that this may be why landline services were selectively enabled.
Authorities have also been jamming satellite services, particularly Starlink terminals, though the disruption is not complete and some communication remains possible.
Starlink access and international response
Starlink is operated by SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk. Trump said on Sunday that he planned to enlist Musk’s help to bypass Iran’s internet shutdown and restore connectivity.
According to Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of the technology non-profit Holistic Resilience, previously inactive Starlink accounts in Iran are now connected, with subscription fees waived as of Tuesday.
“It’s plug and connect … just put [the satellite terminal] somewhere that has access to a clear view of the sky, and you’re good to go,” he told CNN.
The communications blackout has limited the flow of information from Iran and hindered efforts to verify casualties. The Iran Human Rights group, based in Oslo, has reported nearly 700 protester deaths, while HRANA, a rights organisation in Washington, said it had confirmed the deaths of 1,850 protesters and 135 government and military personnel. Some sources reported the death toll as high as 12,000.
With the internet largely inaccessible, Starlink has, in some cases, become “the only way to get the information out” about protesters being killed, Ahmadian said. With thousands of low-orbit satellites linking ground terminals, the service has emerged as a significant communication channel in tightly controlled environments and conflict zones.
