Halifax protesters call for U.S. action as Iran remains cut off by internet blackout

Iranian-Canadians worry about loved-ones back home as an internet and telephone shutdown has cut off communication with the country.

Dozens of Iranian-Canadians rallied outside the United States consulate in Halifax on Tuesday, demanding urgent international intervention after what they describe as a “dangerous and terrifying” internet blackout in Iran that has entered its fifth day.

Protestors waved flags and held signs calling on the U.S. to pressure Iran’s government, saying they fear widespread killings are happening while the country is cut off from the outside world.

The demonstration comes amid reports of mass protests and violent crackdowns in Iran. Iranian authorities have cut most internet access, preventing residents from communicating abroad and blocking independent reporting.

“We’re having a peaceful protest against the U.S. consulate to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran and to send a message to the U.S. president,” said Halifax resident Atefeh Tabesh.

“Unfortunately there was a blackout starting five days ago and the new international news can go in and there’s absolutely no information coming out. As we know this government has been killing people. Right now we don’t have any information from anyone in the world right now.”

Many at the rally say they have lost all contact with relatives in Iran.

“I have been living here myself for 30 years, however, I have my grandparents, my cousin, [and] my uncle,” Tabesh said. “Over 80 million people are connected to me right now. Absolutely no contact.”

She said her family’s last messages never showed up as delivered.

“The last message that we sent were just waiting for that second tick to tell us that it has been delivered, but there is not luck,” she said. “Last night I couldn’t even sleep.”

Soheila Hashemi said she has no idea whether her relatives are still alive.

“I don’t have any access to the family,” she said. “We don’t know what they are doing. I don’t know what’s happening with my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, my cousins with my family and relatives with my friends we don’t know.

“It’s like 48 hours that I cannot sleep. We cannot go to the school. We cannot go to the university. We cannot do our normal job … all of my mind and my heart is feeling a very heavy stress.”

She said protesters want foreign governments to apply pressure, not negotiate with Iran’s leadership.

People at the rally called for U.S. intervention, including regime change, a position political scientists warn is fraught with risk.

Robert Huish, a Dalhousie University associate professor of global politics, said the blackout is a familiar precursor to state violence.

“When any regime cuts off communication if it’s internet or phone then that’s usually when the heavy hand shows up,” Huish said. “You’re going to see lots of life lost with the lack of ability to record and communicate to the outside world, there’s all sorts of deniability that the Iranian regime will put into play here.”

Huish noted while protesters want the U.S. to intervene, military involvement rarely delivers the outcomes people hope for.

“A call to arms to go in and do a regime change; the U.S. has a terrible track record of that,” he said. “Any military action could spark resistance or long-term conflict.”

Huish said there are other ways international governments could act, including restoring Iran’s connection to the outside world.

“Helping to restore internet access would be a big blow to the regime,” he said. “That could support protesters inside Iran without military action.”

Despite warnings, those gathered outside the consulate said they refuse to remain quiet.

“Eighty million people are being captured hostage in Iran right now we need to be their voice,” Tabesh said. “That’s why we don’t want to end just as a protest… this is the revolution.”

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