Iran protests turn violent, Trump says time for change

Nationwide protests in Iran saw their most violent night as "armed protesters" tried to overrun military bases and police stations before security forces repelled them, bringing the death toll in the unrest to at least 12, state television reported Monday.

The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested.

Iranian state television aired footage of a ransacked private bank, broken Windows, overturned cars and a fire truck that appeared to have been set ablaze. The clashes on Sunday night killed 10 people.

"Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported.

Iran has blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldn't hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said it is "time for change" in Iran which is "failing at every level”. A day earlier, Trump had slammed the government for shutting down the Internet amidst country-wide protests. "Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!" Trump had tweeted.

“The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The US is watching very closely for human rights violations!" he said.