Iranian authorities eased some communication restrictions on Tuesday by allowing mobile phone users to make overseas calls for the first time in days, but continued to block internet access and text messaging services as the death toll from nationwide protests climbed to at least 646.
Residents in Tehran told The Associated Press that while they were able to place international calls, people outside Iran were still unable to reach them. SMS services remained suspended and internet users could not access foreign websites, though limited connections to government-approved platforms were available.
It remained unclear whether further restrictions would be lifted after authorities shut down all domestic and international communications late last week amid intensifying demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Tehran would mirror any restrictions imposed by Europe, a day after the European Parliament announced a ban on Iranian diplomats and representatives.
“Iran does not seek enmity with the EU, but will reciprocate any restriction,” Araghchi wrote on X, accusing the European Parliament of failing to take meaningful action over Israel’s war in Gaza while acting swiftly against Iran following what he described as “a few days of violent riots.”
In the Netherlands, Foreign Minister David van Weel said he summoned Iran’s ambassador to formally protest what he called excessive violence against peaceful protesters, large-scale arbitrary arrests and the internet shutdown. He also voiced support for EU sanctions against Iranian human rights violators.
The United Nations human rights chief urged Iranian authorities to immediately halt violence against demonstrators. Volker Türk said reports of hundreds killed and thousands arrested were deeply alarming, adding that the killing of peaceful protesters must stop and that branding demonstrators as “terrorists” to justify repression was unacceptable.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also said she was summoning Iran’s ambassador, accusing Tehran of shutting down the internet to “kill and oppress in silence,” and pledged support for measures with the European Union to restore freedoms for Iranians.
Iranian state television reported that security forces had arrested what it described as Israel-linked terrorist groups in the southeastern city of Zahedan, alleging they entered through Iran’s eastern borders with U.S.-made weapons and explosives. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai expressed solidarity with Iran’s protest movement, linking the demonstrations to long-standing restrictions on women and girls and calling for a future driven by the Iranian people themselves.
France said it has “reconfigured” its embassy in Tehran after nonessential staff left the country earlier this week, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes Iran’s government is in its “final days and weeks,” urging authorities to end violence immediately.
Israel said it remains on alert because of the unrest in Iran but stressed the protests are an internal matter.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 646 people have been killed so far, including 512 protesters and 134 members of the security forces. The group also reported that more than 10,700 people have been detained during the past two weeks of demonstrations.
