The ongoing protests in Iran have led to a significant escalation in violence, with the death toll now surpassing previous unrest in recent decades. This situation mirrors the turmoil seen during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a bold move, hackers disrupted broadcasts from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting on Sunday night, airing a message from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urging military forces to refrain from violence against civilians.
The hacked transmission featured clips of Pahlavi alongside footage of security personnel, with messages encouraging them to "join the nation for the freedom of Iran." The state broadcaster later confirmed that its signals had been temporarily compromised by an unidentified source but did not elaborate on the content aired. Pahlavi's office commented on the incident, emphasizing that the military should identify with the Iranian people rather than the ruling regime.
Social media clips, potentially sourced from users utilizing Starlink satellites, documented the live hack across various channels. This incident adds to a history of media disruptions in Iran, reminiscent of past attempts to circumvent state control over information.