Iranian authorities on Tuesday, March 24th announced the arrest of 466 individuals accused of destabilising the country through online activity, state media reported. The arrests come as the conflict with the U.S. and Israel continues.
A statement from state news agency IRNA said: “These individuals sought to sow confusion in public opinion, create fear and anxiety in society, promote insecurity and spread propaganda in favour of the enemy.” The exact nature of the online activity and the specific dates of the arrests were not disclosed.
Since the conflict began on February 28th with U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Iranian authorities have imposed a near-total internet blackout.
Only a limited number of authorised individuals have access to the global internet, while others attempting to bypass the restrictions via VPNs or Starlink face possible imprisonment. Despite the shutdown, Iranians can still access the local internet for communication and online orders.
