Protests calling for the end of the Iranian regime have entered their 25th day.
A state-imposed internet blackout has been ongoing for two weeks.
One human rights agency has confirmed the deaths of 4,500 protesters since demonstrations began in December. A further 9,000 are also under investigation.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders have traded threats over the unrest.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
Demonstrations began on 28 December, when shopkeepers in Tehran began protesting after the rial (Iran’s currency) hit an all-time low against the U.S. dollar.
Over the past 25 days, protests expanded to all 31 Iranian provinces, with demonstrators calling for the end of the Islamic Republic regime.
Protesters have reportedly been chanting “Death to Khamenei,” Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Update
On Wednesday (local time), Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported it had confirmed 4,902 deaths since 28 December, including 4,622 protesters.
HRANA is also investigating a further 9,387 deaths, along with 7,389 serious injuries.
The organisation reports 26,541 people have been arrested, and 181 people have been forced to confess to crimes on Iranian state media.
On Tuesday, multiple media outlets reported Iranian state television was hacked, showing footage of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.
Pahlavi describes himself as an “advocate for a secular [non-religious], democratic Iran”.
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Pahlavi has encouraged protesters since the unrest started. This week, he shared a video to social media saying: “We are closer than ever to ending this regime.”
On the ground, Iran largely remains in an internet blackout.
U.S. clashes
Since demonstrations began, Trump has pledged U.S. support to protesters, telling them “help is on its way” on 13 January (local time).
Iran shut its airspace for five hours last week, possibly in response to U.S. threats.
Also last week, Iranian authorities appeared to threaten to assassinate Trump. In an interview on Wednesday with conservative outlet NewsNation, Trump addressed the threat, saying that if “anything happens,” the U.S. will “wipe them off the face of this earth.”
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Trump’s threats in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal.
Araghchi said: “Our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack.”
He added: “Iran will always choose peace over war.”
Addressing Trump, Araghchi said the U.S. had tried and failed to threaten Iran with “every conceivable hostile act,” including sanctions, “cyber assaults” and “fann[ing] a major terrorist operation”.
Other responses
The UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session on Friday ”to address the deteriorating human rights situation” in Iran.
The session was requested by a group of countries including Iceland, Germany, and the UK.
The request was supported by dozens of UN states, including Australia.
Since the council was created in 2006, it has held fewer than 40 special sessions.
