The protest movement, which started as a modest demonstration by shopkeepers in Tehran against a sudden depreciation of the country’s currency on 28 December, rapidly moved beyond the government’s control.

As the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, called for dialogue, cautioning that government action could cause inflation to rise even further, signs of a crackdown by security forces started to appear.

Video emerged of riot police breaking into a hospital treating wounded protesters in the western province of Ilam on 4 January, shocking Iranians, who were outraged at the beating of patients and doctors.

At least 538 people have been killed in the violence surrounding demonstrations, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, including 490 protesters. The group reported that more than 10,600 people had been arrested by Iranian authorities.Pezeshkian called for an investigation into the hospital raid and other alleged ill-treatment by security forces and, unlike other Iranian officials, said that the Iranian government bore responsibility for demonstrators’ grievances, not foreign powers.

His promises of accountability was not enough to satisfy Iranians, and crowds grew.

Watching from outside Iran, diaspora and opposition figures began to think the protests held real promise for toppling the Iranian regime.

On Thursday, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran who was expelled during the 1979 revolution, called for unified protests in the country. At 8pm on Thursday, Iranians across the country should chant from their windows and rooftops, Pahvlavi said, adding that he would announce next steps depending on the on-the-ground response to his call.

According to reports, the Internet has been cut off by authorities. However, Musk’s starlink was able to sneak in and has been utilised by some Iranian citizens.

The Guardian full report

109 security personnel had been killed in the protests across the country.

Al Jazeera report