A technician working on an internet tower
Reports from Iran say Internet and mobile phone networks have experienced a long disruption since Monday in several cities and towns around the capital Tehran.
The disruption has created numerous problems for citizens and businesses in cities across the greater Tehran province, such as Eslamshahr, Parand, Damavand and Robatkarim, during the last few working days before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year holidays begin on March 20.
Ghorban-Ali Qomi, Director General of Public Relations of Tehran Province, said on Tuesday that cables caught fire in one of the communication hubs due to an unknown reason, which is being investigated.
Earlier in March, authorities cited a similar reason as Internet services on mobile phones and landlines were disrupted in the Iranian capital Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj.
The government blocks thousands of websites and top social media apps in a bid to control the flow of information.
Iranians were outraged this month when a group of 18 hardliners in a parliament committee claimed that they had ratified a bill to further restrict internet and social media access.
Iranian authorities have often not revealed the real cause for such incidents. Some people reacted to the disruption by blaming the authorities, saying the outage was a trial run for the plan to further restrict internet and social media, which hardliners are pushing for.