Major crackdowns on protesters by Iran’s govt

(News agencies) – Iran state TV is reporting that authorities have blocked Instagram and the messaging app Telegram.

State TV’s website reported the decision Sunday, citing an anonymous source who said it was “in line with maintaining peace and security of the citizens”, according to Fox News on Sunday.

The source said: “With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited.”

Facebook, which owns Instagram, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned anti-government protesters they will face the nation’s “iron fist” if political unrest continues, the BBC News reported on Sunday.

Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari, a Revolutionary Guards commander, told the ISNA news agency “If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those slogans and burned public property and cars.”

Iran’s interior minister has also warned the protesters of ruining public property sowing chaos in the state, stressing that anyone involves in these acts will be held accountable.

For the third day in a row, demonstrations swept through Iran where people took to the streets over falling living standards.
The demonstrations, erupted in several provinces in Iran, are the biggest show of dissent since pro-reform rallies in 2009.

There were calls for the removal or death of Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the cities of Khoramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz.

There are reports of two deaths.