Iran was in a state of near-total nationwide shutdown of online connectivity as protests over the death of a woman arrested by hijab police grew larger and increasingly violent.  

The internet access observatory website Netblocks and Iranian activists started reporting the issue late Wednesday, when much of the country, including the capital Tehran, was witnessing intense clashes between protesters and government forces. 

Internet data on mobile phones was almost entirely disconnected on Thursday while home broadband was severely disrupted in most of the flashpoint cities. The popular Instagram platform and WhatsApp messaging services are also entirely blocked for the first time. However, some Iranians could get through after trying multiple anti-filtering software.  

Iranian officials have confirmed the disruptions, with the hard-line Tasnim news agency saying the measures were meant to prevent "communication and coordination among leaders of the riots." The Islamic Republic employed a similar tactic to crush the 2019 deadly protests over fuel price hikes.