dailynewsnblog
Iranian government in its ‘final days and weeks’, German chancellor says
We are restarting our live coverage of the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran which are widely seen as the most serious challenge to the country’s Islamic Republic in recent years.
At least 648 protesters have been killed in the ongoing crackdown, according to the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights. Thousands more people have been injured since the demonstrations started on 28 December over the collapse of the Iranian currency and general economic malaise.
Speaking while on a diplomatic visit to India earlier today, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes the Iranian government is in its “final days and weeks”, adding that the regime lacks “legitimacy through elections in the population”.
“If a regime can only keep itself in power by force, then it’s effectively at the end,” Merz said.
The Iranian regime has been condemned by many world leaders for its harsh crackdown including mass arrests, internet blackouts and public warnings that participation in the demonstrations could carry the death penalty.
On Tuesday morning, the Associated Press reported mobile phones in Iran were able to make international calls, although restrictions on the internet reportedly remain in place.
Meanwhile, the US president, Donald Trump, has said any country that does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25% on trade with the US.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters on Monday that airstrikes were among the “many, many options” that Trump was considering but that “diplomacy is always the first option for the president”. Trump’s national security team is expected to meet later to discuss options. Stick with us as we bring you the latest lines.
Key events
As of yesterday, protests were reported to have taken place in at least 186 cities across all 31 provinces in Iran.
Iran’s internet shutdown has lasted over 108 hours, monitor says
Iran’s internet shutdown has passed the 108-hour mark, according to an update from the internet tracking agency NetBlocks posted about four hours ago.
The tracking agency has said the blackout, which has seriously hampered the media’s ability to report on what is going on inside of Iran, could be circumvented with shortwave radio, connecting to cell coverage at borders, Starlink and satellite phones.
For the first time in days Iranian authorities allowed members of the public to make phone calls abroad, the Associated Press reported this morning. But there are still restrictions on the internet and texting services have reportedly not been restored.
More than 90 million people have been cut off from the internet since the demonstrations in Iran began, according to the human rights organisation Witness.
As we mentioned in the opening post, Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that countries doing business with Iran would be hit with a 25% tariff on trade with the US, a move that is likely to impact major economies like China and India.
You can keep up to date with the latest market reaction and how the price of oil has been impacted by the announcement in our business live blog.
Iranian government in its ‘final days and weeks’, German chancellor says
We are restarting our live coverage of the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran which are widely seen as the most serious challenge to the country’s Islamic Republic in recent years.
At least 648 protesters have been killed in the ongoing crackdown, according to the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights. Thousands more people have been injured since the demonstrations started on 28 December over the collapse of the Iranian currency and general economic malaise.
Speaking while on a diplomatic visit to India earlier today, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes the Iranian government is in its “final days and weeks”, adding that the regime lacks “legitimacy through elections in the population”.
“If a regime can only keep itself in power by force, then it’s effectively at the end,” Merz said.
The Iranian regime has been condemned by many world leaders for its harsh crackdown including mass arrests, internet blackouts and public warnings that participation in the demonstrations could carry the death penalty.
On Tuesday morning, the Associated Press reported mobile phones in Iran were able to make international calls, although restrictions on the internet reportedly remain in place.
Meanwhile, the US president, Donald Trump, has said any country that does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25% on trade with the US.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters on Monday that airstrikes were among the “many, many options” that Trump was considering but that “diplomacy is always the first option for the president”. Trump’s national security team is expected to meet later to discuss options. Stick with us as we bring you the latest lines.
