Protests in Iran Continue as Tehran Urges People to Calm Down

New protests continue to erupt across Iran, even as the country’s president urged the citizens to calm down and to express their criticism without resorting to violence.

The protests in Iran continued throughout last night, with their participants apparently reluctant to respond to the attempts made by the country’s leadership to ease tensions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called upon his fellow countrymen to remain calm, admitting that protesting and voicing discontent are among the “constitutional rights” of Iranian people, but pointing out that criticism should not be marred with violence.

"Criticism [is] different from violence or inflicting damage on public properties," Rouhani, said as quoted by the Iranian broadcaster Press TV in the outlet's Twitter post.

Iranian state TV reported Monday that at least twelve people have perished during the protests, ten of whom were killed in clashes on Sunday night.

Two protesters were killed in Doroud, a city in the Iranian province of Lorestan, though local authorities blamed foreign agents for this loss of life.

Earlier on Sunday, the Iranian authorities also restricted access to the social media apps Instagram and Telegram, which the protesters allegedly employ to coordinate their actions, according to media reports.

Opponents of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hold a protest outside the Iranian embassy in west London, Britain December 31, 2017

© REUTERS / Eddie Keogh

'Hijab Hero'

A lone female protester has earned praise on social media, with some people even calling her a hero, after she was captured on camera standing bareheaded and waving a white flag, effectively violating the laws imposed since 1979 that require women to observe the Islamic dress code, which includes wearing a hijab in public.

#Breaking:In #Iran A Brave #Iranian #Feminist Protesting Against Women Oppression/Wearing #Hijab In Public.Which Is Punishable Up To 2 mos imprisonment or up to 74 lashes.Unlike Fake Feminist like #WomensMarch led by #Radical #Muslim #ISIS Supporter #LindaSarsour Are Promoting It pic.twitter.com/hkwJPI11YH

— Del!a 💎 (@TheDeliaAspect) 1 января 2018 г.

This woman is my hero. The damn has burst in #Iran, not wearing the #Hijab will no longer be criminalised, Iranians are rejecting Islamic rule. Let freedom reign. ✊✊✊✊💕👧💕 pic.twitter.com/IMbW8KvMZP

— Nora Mulready (@NoraMulready) 31 декабря 2017 г.

This woman in #Iran took off her #Hijab to protest the mandatory Islamic dress code imposed on Iranian women. #IStandWithHer #IranProtests #Islam RT TO SPREAD HOPE pic.twitter.com/Pqh422OgpS

— Politics Condensed (@PCondensed) 1 января 2018 г.

According to the Mirror however, police in Tehran had announced earlier that they no longer detain women who do not adhere to these rules.