Protesters and security forces clashed in different parts of Iran on Tuesday as protests intensified over the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody.

This is the first major protest on the streets of Iran since protests against gasoline price hikes in 2019.

Amini, 22, from the northwestern Kurdish city of Zakus, was arrested in Tehran on September 13 for "inappropriate dress" by the morality police, which enforces a strict dress code in the country. She then fell into a coma and died in hospital three days later.

Rights group Amnesty International said on Twitter that Iran's security forces responded to the protests by killing dozens of people by staging, throwing metal pellets and publicly harassing people on sight.

The Iranian human rights group Hengaw said 18 people had been killed, 898 injured and over 1,000 Kurdish protesters arrested in the last 10 days but estimated that the real figures were higher.

State media branded the protesters "hypocrites, rioters, thugs and seditionists", while state television said police clashed with "rioters" in some cities.

Videos posted on social media from inside Iran showed protesters chanting, "Woman, Life, Liberty", while women waved and burned their veils.
Over 300 Iranian Christians issued a statement supporting the nationwide protests.