Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has praised the protesters for acting against the "brutal and corrupt" regime in Tehran.

In a tweet, he said the Iranian people "had little food, big inflation and no human rights". The Iranian foreign ministry responded by saying Trump should focus on the "homeless and hungry people" in his own country. Tensions between the countries have increased since Trump took office early last year -- much to do with Washington's controversial decision to drop out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers. The US president called it an "embarrassment" for America in his maiden speech to the UN General Assembly.