Iran facing "nationwide internet blackout," monitoring group says, amid hope that 12 days of deadly protests may swell into a tipping point against a repressive regime.

Protests in Iran are intensifying due to the country's struggling economy, putting pressure on its theocracy as it has shut down the internet and telephone networks.

Iran entered a 12th consecutive night of widespread anti-government protests as authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown, drawing international attention and sharp criticism from exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.

Iranian protests sparked by a currency collapse evolved into a broader uprising demanding regime overthrow, with demonstrators torching government buildings across provinces.

Activists say the death toll in the crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran spiked Sunday to at least 538 people. The U.S.

As protests swelled around the country, Iran’s internet was shut down, and the heads of its judiciary and its security services warned of a harsh response amid calls for “freedom, freedom.”