Iranians have taken to social media to call on anti-government protests to resume across 63 cities in Iran for the fourth day in a row, demanding the Iranian president and Supreme Leader step down from their positions, while government officials say they are determined to address the demands of the people.
Interior Minister Abdolraza Rahmani Fazli stated on Sunday that in the current situation, maintaining peace, inviting law and order, strengthening unity, coherence, coordination and cooperation, and pursuing the demands of the people is the best way to ensure public safety and adequate response to the people.
"We urge all those who receive these calls to protest not to participate in these illegal gatherings as they will create problems for themselves and other citizens," said Fazli.
Government authorities temporarily cut off internet access, but full coverage was restored on Sunday.
There have also been pro-government demonstrations at Imam Khomeini grand mosque in the capital Tehran.
The US State Department released a statement on Saturday "strongly condemning" the arrest of peaceful protesters.
"Iran’s leaders have turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos," read a statement released by department spokesperson Heather Nauert.
One of Iran’s few official reports, by the conservative Mehr news agency showed the town hall being attacked by protesters in Tehran, along with them burning the Iranian flag and overturning a police car.
Deadly protests continued across Iran on Saturday with angry crowds confronting police and attacking government buildings, prompting authorities to close down two metro stations in Tehran in order to prevent more people from arriving into the capital city.
The demonstrations began in Mashhad on Thursday where people protested against rising costs of goods and high unemployment.
An unconfirmed number of protesters have been killed after Iranian forces opened fire on demonstrations, according to social media reports.
Images and video shared on social media also showed protesters tearing down posters of Iranian figures like Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds force, and the Supreme Leader, in addition to setting fire to government buildings.
They spread across the country on Friday and took on an anti-government tone as people expressed anger over corruption and clerical rule. They accused officials of being more invested in external affairs like conflicts in Syria and Yemen than meeting the needs of the people.
The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) reported at least six protesters were killed in Lorestan province and several were killed and four injured after Revolutionary Guards opened fire on demonstrators in Kermanshah province.
