[Regnum] The death toll from protests in Iran has risen to 538, Reuters reported.
"According to the latest figures, the US-based human rights group HRANA said it had confirmed the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security forces," the agency noted.
More than 10,000 people were detained during the unrest. The publication also noted that Iranian authorities provided no information about casualties.
Protests in Iran began on December 28th, sparked by the sharp decline in the Iranian rial. On December 31st, the Fez city administration building was attacked. On January 1st, in Hamadan, one group of protesters burned a Quran and several other religious books, while another group attempted to attack a mosque.
A series of clashes between rioters and police were also reported. On January 3, groups of unidentified armed men took to the streets of Serbale, firing bursts into the air while shouting anti-government slogans.
On January 8, a complete internet shutdown was observed across Iran amid ongoing protests. This followed a series of other measures aimed at curbing protest activity in the country.