TEHRAN – The largest anti-government demonstrations to rock Iran in recent years intensified on the night of Jan 9 , fuelling fears of growing fatalities as authorities battle to suppress the protests.   

Social media footage trickling out of Iran amid a blanket shutdown of internet and telecommunications networks showed hundreds of thousands marching and chanting anti-regime slogans across the country, with graphic scenes of bodies lying in blood. Other clips showed that the elderly made up many of the protesters.