An Iranian prayer app was hacked to display anti-regime messages, in support of the Iranian people, on Saturday, social media users reported before the internet blackout, as US and Israeli strikes targeted IRGC and regime facilities across Iran.
One message read in Persian, “For the freedom of Iranian brothers and sisters, this is a call for all repressive forces – push your weapons aside or join the liberation forces. Only this way can you save your life for Iran.”
It is not clear who is responsible for the hack, though it follows significant unrest in the Islamic Republic. Last month, protests broke out in response to the country’s economic crisis. The Islamic regime responded by brutally repressing protests, killing thousands at the demonstrations, and, according to medical sources who earlier spoke to The Jerusalem Post, killing protesters in hospital beds where they were being treated for injuries inflicted by security forces.
Tens of thousands have disappeared in Iran, with families left unsure if their loved ones are among those killed, detained, or disappeared in unregistered facilities, according to a report by Human Rights Watch published last week.
One of the messages pushed by the hackers read “Help has arrived,” an apparent reference to a message issued by US President Donald Trump in January, promising that the US would send help to the Iranian people.
“Iranian Patriots, keep protesting – take over your institutions! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump swore at the time.
A number of state media outlets and affiliated sites were also targeted in cyberattacks, according to the semi-official Iran Student News Agency. IRNA, ISNA, Tabnak, and Asr-e Iran were reportedly among those impacted.
Netblocks, a global internet watchdog, confirmed that since the hacks, internet access in Iran has dropped to only 4%.