Iran media black out in preparation for opposition clashes - 11 Feb 2010

The Iranian authorities are gearing up for expected disruptions at festivities to mark the anniversary of the Islamic revolution on Thursday. For several days now it has become increasingly difficult to access the Internet and send SMS messages in major cities. With no YouTube, Twitter or Facebook, it looks like any potential unrest tomorrow may be silenced by the blackout.

Communications Minister Reza Taghipour said on Monday that the slow connection was caused by an undersea optic-fibre cable that runs across the Persian Gulf, which had been damaged due to shipping traffic and anchoring. Repairs, he said, would be dealt with by next week (the week begins on Saturday in Iran). Problems with SMS messaging, he said, were caused by "changing software".

It seems that the blackout is part of a wide-ranging set of precautions being put in place by the authorities to prevent anti-government protesters from organising and communicating events on the 31st anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Nevertheless, the protesters are pledging to turn up and demonstrate despite the potential blackout. One blog has listed "Tips" for protesters, advising them to carry vinegar-soaked cloths for tear gas relief, medical kits, and rocks to throw at the police. Point seven says: "We must make it as difficult as possible for Ahmadinejad to give a speech on the main podium". Accessing this kind of online information from inside the country however seems almost impossible.

http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20100210-tehran-blacks-out-preparati...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Iran
• Iranian
• protest
• Islamic
• revolution
• election
• opposition
• Muslim
• Islam
• republic
• Basij
• militia
• Basiji
• guard
• presidential
• demonstrator

[margbarmojtabakhamni]

drood bar jonbesh sabz

[acepersian]

fuck them, iranians outside iran will sprad the news, desorate act of the regime