The so-called petrol protests in Iran on Sunday entered their third day.

The Internet has basically been supported throughout Iran. This, following a decision by the Supreme National Security Council to limit it for 24 hours, reports the semi-state news agency Isna.

Several Iranians outside the country testify to difficulties in reaching friends and relatives in Iran, both through apps and regular telephone lines.

It's a "total national shutdown of the internet," Netblocks, a site that monitors network services, writes on Twitter.

Khamenei tweets

But at the same time, the country's highest spiritual leader Ayatollah Khamenei has managed to tweet his support for the price increase of gasoline which has led to prosthetics now raging in over 40 cities in Iran.

In a televised speech, he condemns some of the means the demonstrators have used.

"Certain people are obviously upset by this decision, but damaging and setting fire to buildings is not something that ordinary people do, so do lieists," he says in state television.

Several dead

At least three people have lost their lives, according to the AP.

A policeman is reported to have been killed in the city of Kermanshah in western Iran by protesters, a local police chief told Irna News Agency. The man died after being shot during clashes with "insurgents and liars", reports Irna.

In the city of Yazd, 40 people have been arrested after clashing with police, Isna reports on Sunday.

"Fake News"

Many videos circulated on social media are not yet verified and in state media the posts have been dismissed as fake news. So-called "hostile media" have been accused of exaggerating the scope of the demonstrations, the BBC writes.

The protests started on Friday when the price of gasoline was raised by just over 50 per cent at the same time as ration cards were introduced.

In addition to buildings and vehicles, videos on social media also spread about how protesters lit fire at portraits depicting Khamenei.