Iranians Evading Internet Blocks to Stay Connected with Family Abroad A man on the Iran-Turkey border operates a service that allows Iranians abroad to contact loved ones inside the country. His method involves using two phones—one connected to the Iranian network and one to the Turkish. International calls into Iran are blocked, so customers outside the country call his Turkish phone on WhatsApp, and he then dials their family members on his Iranian mobile. By holding the two phones together, he facilitates communication for those desperate to speak with relatives. This approach is one of several ways Iranians are bypassing internet and phone restrictions imposed by authorities during the conflict with the US and Israel. However, these services remain costly and unreliable, with calls often lasting only two to three minutes before disconnecting. BBC Persian reports that, including money transfer fees, a four- or five-minute call can cost around £28 ($38). Despite the high price, many users consider it a necessary expense. Ava, whose name has been changed, was preparing to marry this week. Her fiancé, living in Canada, had planned to fly to Tehran for the ceremony, but the war disrupted air travel. "I'm paying a huge amount of money to be able to connect to the internet to talk to him right now," she says. Hamid, who resides in Tehran, has also struggled to maintain contact with his wife and relatives abroad. "In these past days I tried everything just to connect," he explains. "The cost didn't matter to me, even though it was a financial burden. I just wanted them to feel a little calmer." He relies on a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass internet restrictions, allowing him to message and call abroad.#whatsapp #iran #turkey #iran_turkey_border #iranian_refugees
