US State Department says Iran blackout aimed at hiding crackdown

The Munich Security Conference has withdrawn invitations previously sent to Iranian government representatives, and no official from Iran will attend the upcoming event, a conference spokesperson told Iran International on Friday.

The spokesperson said that although invitations had been issued to some Iranian officials weeks ago, they were no longer valid “in light of recent developments” and would not be renewed.

Asked whether the conference might invite representatives from Iran’s opposition or civil society, the spokesperson said organizers were closely monitoring the situation but would not provide further details at this stage of preparations.

Videos received by Iran International showed a heavy security presence around Makki Mosque in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan on Friday.

Makki Mosque is the main Sunni place of worship in the city and has in recent years become a focal point for protests and public gatherings.

A group of Iranians living in Melbourne rallied outside Parliament of Victoria on Friday, calling for decisive international action against Iran’s leadership to prevent further killings of protesters, according to videos received by Iran International.

Participants chanted slogans including “We will stand to the end” and “Long live the Shah.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, the Kremlin said, adding that details of the conversation would be released later.

According to Russian state agencies, the two leaders discussed the situation in Iran and called for swift de-escalation of tensions.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to implementing joint economic projects, RIA news agency reported.

The call followed Putin’s earlier conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran.

Award-winning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi said Iran’s leaders would not be able to maintain control after the violent suppression of recent protests, predicting the system would eventually collapse.

“It is impossible for this government to sustain itself in this situation,” Panahi told the Guardian.

He said the recent internet blackout signaled that authorities were preparing for large-scale violence.

“They knew it would be a massacre,” he said. “But we never predicted it would reach these dimensions.”

Panahi said the timing of any collapse was impossible to predict but added: “The regime will collapse, 100%.”