A border crossing with Iran in the Turkish eastern province of Van has not seen a major influx of Iranians seeking asylum from the unrest in their country, but many have been making short jaunts across the border to get around communications blackouts.
Internet service has largely been blocked in Iran since Jan. 8 during mass protests and a violent government crackdown, although on Jan. 17 witnesses said text messaging and very limited internet services began functioning again briefly in parts of Iran.
An Iranian official said on Jan. 18 the authorities had verified at least 5,000 people were killed in protests in Iran, including about 500 security personnel, blaming "terrorists and armed rioters" for killing "innocent Iranians.”
While the protests have largely subsided and an uneasy calm has settled over much of Iran, the ongoing communications blackouts have created difficulties, particularly for those who rely on the internet for work.
Iranians enter Türkiye without visas, so for those living in the north of the country or with the means to travel from areas farther afield, brief trips across the border have been a workaround.
Some said they funded their trips by selling goods like cigarettes and tea that are cheap in Iran and fetch a higher price in Türkiye.
Sami Ranjbar from Tehran, who was crossing from Türkiye back into Iran on Jan. 16, said he works in e-commerce and had stayed in Van for four days to catch up on business.
Ali, 37, who spoke on condition of not being identified by his full name out of security concerns, was headed back to Tehran on Jan. 17 after staying in Türkiye for four days. He said he came with his brother, who needed to use the internet for university applications.
“A lot of our friends are arrested in Iran, and some of them have been killed,” he said. “But we have to go back to Iran because we have our family there and we have jobs there.”
