A handout picture made available by Iran's Supreme Leader Office shows Ayatollah Ali Khamenei greeting a crowd during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, 03 January 2026. Khamenei commented on the recent protests in Iran, including those by merchants, emphasizing that 'unrest is distinct from protest' and that rioters must be dealt with appropriately. EPA/IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER OFFICE HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A countrywide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday and extended into Friday, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said. It coincided with calls for more protests from Reza Pahlavi, the long-exiled son of Iran's last shah who was toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Starting in Tehran with shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar angered by a sharp slide in the rial currency, the latest protests now involve others - mainly young men rather than the women and girls who played a key role in 2022-23.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported at least 34 protesters and four security personnel killed, and 2,200 arrested during the unrest, which analysts say highlights deeper disillusionment with the Shi'ite status quo.
Authorities have tried to maintain a dual approach to the unrest, saying protests over the economy are legitimate and will be met by dialogue, while responding to some demonstrations with tear gas amid violent street confrontations.
(Reporting by Pariza Hafezi; editing by Alison Williams and Mark Heinrich)