Large-scale internet blackout reported in Iran

TEHRAN, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's capital, Tehran, and several other parts of the country experienced an internet blackout on Thursday, an internet monitoring group said.

NetBlocks, the monitoring group, said on its website that, "Live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout."

Xinhua reporters based in Tehran have experienced the blackout, starting from around 8:15 p.m. local time (1645 GMT).

The blackout is reportedly the consequence of ongoing protests in several Iranian cities since late last month, including the latest in Tehran on Thursday, over the sharp fall in the rial and long-standing economic hardships.

Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reported Thursday that 23 police officers and one "rioter" were injured during clashes in northeastern Iran's Khorasan Razavi over the past days, amid protests in the province.

Five people were killed in an attack by "rioters" on a police station in the province on Wednesday night, it added.■