Protesters in Ahvaz

The police station attack in the central province of Isfahan, led to violence that claimed the lives of six protesters, the state broadcaster reported. A young member of the Revolutionary Guards and a passer-by were also reported dead in towns near the cultural hub of Isfahan city, while a policeman in nearby Najafabad was shot dead with a hunting rifle. It brings the estimated death toll to 21 in five days of unrest that represents the biggest challenge to the Islamic regime since mass demonstrations in 2009.

Protests were reportedly taking place in dozens of towns and cities throughout Iran, including several locations in the capital, Tehran, where 450 people have been arrested so far.