France urges restraint as Iran protests continue amid internet blackout

France on January 9 urged Iran’s authorities to show maximum restraint toward protesters, saying demonstrators have a legitimate right to protest, a French diplomatic source told Reuters.

The comments came after a nationwide internet blackout was reported in Iran on January 8, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks, as protests over economic hardships continued across the country, Caliber.Az reports. 

“We deplore the deaths of several protesters and call on the Iranian authorities to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding these deaths,” the source said. “We reaffirm our commitment to freedom of expression and assembly and call on Iran to respect all of its obligations under its international commitments.”

Mass protests continue across Iran, escalating into clashes with security forces. The unrest began on December 28 when Tehran market traders demonstrated against a sharp fall in the national currency, but has since spread nationwide, with demonstrations reported in all 31 provinces.

By Sabina Mammadli