Letters: Iranian Kiwis unable to contact family due to blackout; should house brands use local ingredients?
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026. Photo / AFP
Iran blackout
I am a graduated PhD student from AUT writing to express my deep concern, shared by many Iranian students and residents in New Zealand, regarding the current situation in Iran.
Since Thursday, all major communication channels in Iran, including the internet, mobile networks and fixed telephone lines, have been completely blocked. As a result, we have been unable to contact our families and loved ones. Even satellite-based services such as Starlink reportedly do not function reliably due to severe signal interference.
Disturbing reports are emerging about widespread violence, with unverified claims that thousands of people may have been killed by the Islamic Republic. Due to the communication blackout, we cannot confirm these reports, nor can we understand the true scale of what is happening on the ground. This uncertainty, combined with our inability to reach our families, has caused immense distress and fear among the Iranian community abroad.
We respectfully ask the New Zealand Government to be our voice during this critical time. We urge you to use your international influence to advocate for the restoration of internet access and communication in Iran, and to support efforts aimed at protecting civilians and ensuring transparency.
Please help us stand for basic human rights, the right to communicate, to know the truth, and to ensure the safety of our families. Your support could make a meaningful difference in a situation where people are isolated and unheard.
Matin Khalili, Auckland.
What next for Iran?
Fascinating that, 47 years ago, the Iranian people rebelled and rid themselves of the American-supported Shah of Iran, who was replaced with an Islamic theocracy. And now they are rebelling against that theocratic regime in the hope of ridding themselves of Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Let’s hope whatever follows will bring some enduring peace to Iran. Dare I suggest they try democracy? For all its flaws, democracy is much better than the alternatives Iran has endured.
Andrew Tichbon, West Auckland.
State sector morale
The Herald’s Ethan Manera reported on a survey of staff attitudes recently taken inside government departments. What was interesting was the fact that some of the bureaucrats complained of the bureaucracy!
What many readers will look forward to is a report on what actions have been taken as a result of the survey findings. Knowing stuff and not acting on it is a sign of indifference.
Nick Hamilton, Remuera.
Greenland
My prediction is that Greenland will become the next state of the United States of America. This will be a peaceful transition because the US will “buy it”. They will offer the 55,000 or so population US$1 million each and because they are mostly very poor, they will accept the offer. My understanding too is that Denmark actually hasn’t treated the Greenlanders that well and they may well like a change of masters.
This is just my own theory.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
Home brands?
Recently I bought a jar of supermarket ”house brand” grapefruit marmalade, only to discover that it had been imported from Poland.
Surely our local supermarkets should be able to find local growers who can compete favourably with those from 17,500 kilometres away.
Martin Spencer, Remuera.
Illegal immigrants
While they are actively expelling illegal immigrants, including from South American countries, it is ironic that the US are talking of invading some of those same countries.
Would that not make the US also illegal immigrants?
Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.