New anti-regime protests break out in Tehran on fifth day

Fresh protests broke out as night fell in Tehran on Monday, local media reported, a day after 10 people were killed in violence across the country.

Images of burning cars on local media and online reports of heavy police presence.

The conservative-linked Fars news agency showed a burning car, while social media reports said relatively small groups were chanting anti-regime slogans in downtown parts of the capital.

"A troublemaker set fire to a taxi and immediately fled," said the Mehr news agency in one of the few reports by local media.

The latest demonstrations came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers".

US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Tehran over four days of demonstrations, said it was "time for a change" and that the Iranian people were "hungry" for freedom.

Restrictions remained on reporting inside Iran, but social media reported a heavy police presence on the streets of central Tehran as small groups of protesters were seen running and chanting anti-regime slogans. However, verifying rumors and videos remained challenging.

It marks the fifth day of unrest in Iran that began with anger over the state of the economy and soon turned against the Islamic regime as a whole.

The intelligence ministry released a statement saying that "rioters and instigators of recent unrest have been identified and some have been arrested".

The authorities have confirmed more than 400 arrests since the outbreak of the unrest, of whom around 100 have been freed.

Judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani joined Rouhani in warning against illegal action.

"Those who have rightful demands must be guided in lawful ways and those who riot and commit sabotage and chaos and set fire to public property... must be confronted decisively," he told the state broadcaster.

"The country must have discipline," Larijani added.

The protests began as demonstrations against economic conditions in second city Mashhad on Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole, with thousands marching in towns across Iran to chants of "Death to the dictator".

(This is a developing story)