It would last for 24 hours but has already passed the 40th hour. Such an internet block has never been seen in Iran before, and thus few videos and pictures have come out of the country.

The telephone lines are also down and it is busy busy for anyone trying to reach people inland. Few people have succeeded in arriving.

Spokesperson: "Calmer Today"

More than 100 banks and commercial buildings have been set on fire during the protests, reports the Reuters news agency. At the same time, more than 200 people have been arrested since the demonstrations erupted on Friday night, according to Iranian authorities, the AFP news agency writes.

There remain "some minor problems, and tomorrow and the day after that we will have no problems with the riots," said Ali Rabiei, spokesman for the Iranian government at a press conference.

The schools are said to have been closed on Monday, the fourth day since the protests against the higher gasoline prices began.

Spokesman Ali Rabiei states that the situation is calmer now compared to the weekend. At the same time, he confirms that there have been crowds in some cities.

- What I can say is that today's population is about 80 percent less than the previous day, says Ali Rabiei.

Action can be taken

It is currently unclear when the Internet connection will return.

Iran's mighty Revolutionary Guard has also spoken out on Monday, but with a cautionary note.

"If necessary, we will take resolute and revolutionary measures against continued attempts to disrupt people's peace and security," the Guard writes in a statement in state media.

The reason why gasoline prices were shocked has to do with Iran's hard-hit economy. Income will go to the country's very poorest, it said, and the first payout will go to about 20 million people, President Hassan Rouhani announced Sunday.