Hear’s a summary of the key information from the provided text about the protests in Iran:
* What sparked the protests: The protests began on December 28th in Tehran, initially fueled by shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar angered by a notable decline in the value of the Iranian rial currency.
* How widespread they are: The protests have spread significantly, reaching over 280 locations across 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces. Sky News’ Data and Forensics team has verified video evidence of protests in 19 provinces.
* Internet blackout: The Iranian goverment imposed an internet blackout starting late Thursday and extending into Friday, also affecting international phone calls. This is believed to be an attempt to hide the protests from the world and potentially provide cover for security forces.
* Government response: The text suggests a potentially harsh response from security forces, with the blackout possibly allowing them to act with less scrutiny.
* visual Evidence: The article includes images of burning vehicles in Tehran (Reuters) and a graphic related to data and forensics analysis of the protests. There is also a link to a video report.
The article link provided offers more in-depth information on the reasons behind the protests.