Ten killed in Sunday night Iran protests

Iranian state media has reported that ten people were killed on Sunday night following escalating anti-government protests in the country.
1 min read
01 January, 2018
Protests in Iran continued on Sunday night [Getty]

Ten people were killed in Sunday night protests in Iran, state media reported on Monday, as anti-government demonstrations continue across the country. 

It brings the death toll since rare demonstrations in Iran began last week to 12 people.

Armed protesters also attempted to take over police stations and military bases on Sunday night, state TV reported Monday.

"Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported.

Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, said two people died there Sunday night, although he did not reveal the nature of the deaths, semi-official ILNA news agency reported. 

Many in Izeh, some 455 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of Tehran, have hunting rifles in their homes.

Protests began on Thursday in the second city of Mashhad, where anger over economic issues has led to anti-government protests across the country. Hundreds of people have been arrested.

On Sunday, Iran blocked access to many social media and messaging apps which have been used by protesters to communicate.

President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger and said there would be a space for criticism, but warned the government would crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.