Name: Communications blackout continues in Iran | BBC News
Uploaded: 2026-01-16T17:30:19.000Z
Duration: 4 min 41 s
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And we are continuing to build up a picture of the situation in Iran.

These images show public houses being torched by demonstrators in the capital, Tehran.

There have been weeks of protests and a brutal crackdown by authorities.

Businesses in the capital appear to be open, vehicles out on the street.

But it's difficult to gauge a true picture of the situation.

A satellite blackout is heavily restricting communications.

Meanwhile, at the UN Security Council, the US Ambassador, Mike Walls, estimated that thousands, possibly even tens of thousands, have been killed.

He also added this unarmed, peaceful people who love their country are taking to the streets in pursuit of their legitimate aspirations for a better future.

President Donald J. Trump and the United States of America stands by the brave people of Iran, period.

you will hear many today from the Iranian regime and from its friends, the regime is solely, solely responsible for the economic misery of the Iranian people and the repression of their freedom.

Well, our Middle east correspondent, Hugo Bochega is on the Armenian border with Iran.

He explained just how Donald Trump said seeming retreat from threats of military action is being seen in Tehran.

Obviously, the president had threatened to hit Iran very hard if protesters were killed.

And we are talking about the possibility of thousands of protesters being killed as part of this brutal crackdown by the authorities on these anti government protests.

Now, it is very interesting to see that it seems that there's been an effort by Arab countries to prevent any kind of military attack by the Americans on Iran countries concerned about the possibility of a wider regional conflict.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu as well, apparently asking President Trump to delay any kind of attack.

And yesterday, Steve Witkoff, the US Envoy, suggested that the Trump administration preferred a diplomatic solution to this crisis.

He talked about, you know, four points that could be discussed with Iran, including obviously ir, Iran's nuclear program, also Iran's missiles and the question of Iranian proxies in the region.

And the Iranian authorities have been saying that they're not interested in any kind of confrontation.

They are open to engage in talks with the Americans, but

that any kind of discussions should happen should be based on fair terms, they say.

Now, obviously, it's very difficult to get a clear picture of what's happening inside Iran.

So it is difficult to see if this is part of a decision that's been made by the Trump administration to cancel to delay any kind of attack, or if this is part of a strategy to distract people to buy time to allow American military assets to arrive in the region.

And at the same time, Trump officials continue to say that all options are on the table.

And Hugo, obviously we can't get you into Iran, but it is Friday prayers.

Lots of people are going to be out on the streets.

So as you mentioned, there's still, you know, an Internet shutdown in the country.

So it is very difficult to get a clear picture of what's happening inside the country.

But the information that is coming out, and

I think this is the assessment of officials outside Iran as well, is that the rate of the killings has dropped and that is because of this Internet shutdown, but

also because of the violence of this brutal crackdown of the authorities on these anti government protests.

And for days we've been hearing these accounts emerging of the brutality of the repression, the violence that has been used by security forces to contain these protests.

And that means that people are terrified to join these demonstrations.

But again, it's very difficult to see, you know, to get a clear picture of what's happening inside the country.

Certainly is thanks to Hugo Bochega on the Armenian border with Iran's Turkish.