Reps. Tenney, Min Lead Letter Urging Action to Support Iranian Protesters Amid Internet Blackout

Washington, D.C. - Congresswomen Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Congressman Dave Min (CA-47) today led a bipartisan letter to President Donald J. Trump urging immediate action to support the Iranian people as nationwide protests continue and the Iranian regime intensifies a sweeping internet blackout designed to silence dissent and isolate citizens from the outside world.

Peaceful protests erupted across Iran in late December 2025, driven by severe inflation, economic collapse, and long-standing political repression. What began in Tehran quickly spread to more than 185 cities across all 31 provinces. According to several reports, at least 2,000 people have been killed and more than 10,700 arrested as the regime violently cracked down on demonstrators. On January 8, 2026, Iranian authorities escalated their response by imposing a nationwide communications shutdown, cutting mobile data, restricting cellular networks, and attempting to block access to satellite-based services. In their letter, Reps. Tenney and Min urge the administration to leverage existing and emerging technologies, including secure internet freedom tools and satellite-based communications, to help Iranians bypass regime-controlled infrastructure and stay connected during this critical moment.

"The Iranian regime is trying to crush peaceful protests by cutting the Iranian people off from the world," said Congresswoman Tenney. "Access to information is not a luxury, it is a lifeline. When authoritarian governments use violence and censorship to silence their citizens, the United States has both a moral responsibility and a strategic interest to help people communicate, organize, and speak freely. I applaud President Trump for his statements, which made it clear that the United States will stand with the brave Iranians standing up to the brutal mullahs. This letter urges President Trump to continue leveraging every available tool to support the Iranian people as they fight for freedom, dignity, and a future free from tyranny. The Iranian people have no greater friend in their fight to Make Iran Great Again than President Trump."

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