US Meddling Among Reasons of Internet Blackout in Iran

“US interference in Iran was among reasons behind internet blackout across the country,” Gholamali Jafarzadeh, chairman of Mostaqellin [independent] faction of the Parliament, said on Sunday. He made the remarks after a meeting of the faction with Iranian ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi in the Parliament.

“Considering conditions of the country, there was no other solution but to shut down the internet,” said Jafarzadeh.

He said that the ICT minister has briefed the faction on the status of the internet and on the estimation of damages to companies due to internet blackout during the past week.

Elsewhere he noted that “the Iranian Parliament condemns US’s decision to impose sanctions on Iranian ICT Minister Azari Jahromi.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council ordered internet blackout on Saturday to block rioters from coordinating their activities in large cities. The Iranian government raised gasoline prices on November 15 in order to moderate the national consumption rate which prompted some peaceful protests, but riotous elements took advantage of the situation and caused damage to public property.