Page 11 - IRANRptDec19

The moment Iran went offline.
Iran shut down the internet almost completely for nearly six days after protests broke out in the wake of the sudden introduction of a hefty petrol price hike​ and in many cases transitioned into anti-regime riots and demonstrations—although the level of the anti-regime sentiment on the streets became impossible to gauge for independent media after the country was plunged into internet ‘darkness’.
Violence ​flared​ after the authorities suddenly hiked petrol prices by a minimum of 50%.​ Under the new fuel measures, each motorist that presents their ‘petrol card’ is allowed to buy 60 litres (13 gallons) of petrol a month at 15,000 rials ($0.13) a litre. Each additional litre then costs 30,000 rials. Previously, drivers were allowed up to 250 litres at 10,000 rials per litre. Officials said they would use the extra revenues generated on petrol sales to provide handouts to lower-income Iranians suffering amid the sanctions-led “economic attack” on the country from the US.
Rioters stormed banks, petrol stations and government buildings, setting many ablaze. The protests are thought to have spread to more than 100 Iranian cities. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on November 22 they have arrested about 100 leaders of protests, according to the official IRNA news agency. Around 1,000 demonstrators were arrested the authorities say.
Officials said they turned the internet off to prevent provocateurs from distributing video footage and other content designed to incite and expand the protests.
Iran’s internet connectivity stood at more than 70% of its usual level by November 23, according to Netblocks, an international organisation that tracks disrupted provision of the world wide web.
Amnesty International on November 23 revised its estimated death toll from the unrest to 115, from 106. Iranian officials have described its numbers as “fabricated”. There are more than 47mn active social media users in Iran, a country of 82mn.
2.7​ ​US announces end of sanctions waivers on Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant
The US has announced that it will no longer waive sanctions related to Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant. ​Its move came after Tehran resumed uranium enrichment at the underground site.
“The right amount of uranium enrichment for the world’s largest state sponsor of terror is zero ... There is no legitimate reason for Iran to resume enrichment at this previously clandestine site,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters.
Iran hid the sensitive site from UN non-proliferation inspectors until its exposure in 2009.
Tehran has been gradually stepping up its non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal saying Europe has to provide it with a good reason to stay in the
11​ IRAN Country Report​ December 2019 www.intellinews.com