Iran Accused of Using SIM Card Blocks to Silence Dissent

In Iran, mobile phone numbers serve as the primary key to digital identity, granting access to essential banking, judicial, administrative, and insurance services. Consequently, the disconnection of a SIM card extends far beyond the loss of voice and text capabilities; it effectively severs citizens from critical everyday infrastructure.

Recent accounts from Iranians indicate that these restrictions are frequently accompanied by the blocking of user accounts on social media and government platforms. Users report that access is typically restored only after they remove critical content or sign pledges agreeing to cease participation in protest-related activities.

DW interviewed three individuals who requested pseudonyms due to safety concerns. Sina, a 25-year-old, discovered his SIM card was deactivated while attempting to book a taxi after leaving university. He stated that an individual claiming to be from the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IO-IRGC) contacted him, instructing him to report to a specific location for reactivation.

Sina alleged he was subjected to approximately six hours of interrogation, during which his mobile phone was confiscated. He claimed the return of his device and SIM card was conditional upon signing a document expressing remorse for his activist work and online criticism of the system. He was further required to publish posts supporting the Islamic Republic to demonstrate loyalty. Shortly after, his family noted that most of his Instagram content had been deleted, with only a single post remaining, asserting that the page operated in compliance with Iranian law. A month later, Sina reported he still had not recovered his SIM card or phone and remained locked out of his social media.

Sorour, a 41-year-old translator at an official Tehran office, experienced a similar ordeal. After her SIM card was disconnected, she was summoned to an IO-IRGC-designated location where she faced hours of questioning regarding her activity on Instagram and X. She was ordered to privatize her account and pledge to stop advocating for political prisoners, protesting executions, or supporting demonstrators involved in the anti-government protests that erupted in late December 2025.

Mina, a 63-year-old resident of Isfahan, reported that her SIM card and national ID were blocked after she refused to comply with a summons from the IRGC Intelligence Organization. The block followed a comment she made supporting a political current under a post by a foreign news outlet. Mina stated the restrictions prevented her from using bank transfers, administrative systems, and online shopping services that require electronic verification. She also lost access to Sana, the judiciary’s electronic portal, leaving her unaware of any pending legal charges.

Other citizens have voiced similar grievances online. Zia Nabavi, a former political prisoner, described having his SIM card suddenly disconnected while at a doctor’s office, where he urgently needed access to banking texts. He characterized the government’s approach as a strategy to force critics into obedience or withdrawal through sustained pressure.

Reyhaneh Saeedi, a physician and activist, revealed on Instagram that her SIM card has been blocked for months, marking the second time she has faced such measures. She stated the blockage has hindered her ability to practice medicine, issue prescriptions, and renew her licenses. Her national ID was also deactivated, yet she has received no formal ruling or notification of charges.

Actress Shaghayegh Dehghan also reported a block on her SIM card, though she remains uncertain which authority is responsible. The Defending Free Flow of Information (DeFFI) organization noted in a 2025 report that journalists and activists frequently have their SIM cards blocked without judicial orders.

These incidents highlight a broader pattern of digital suppression employed by the Islamic Republic over the past four decades. The lack of clear accountability mechanisms leaves those affected with no obvious legal avenue to challenge the restrictions or seek explanations for the denial of basic communication tools.