Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have been deployed to three provinces to put down an eruption of anti-government unrest after six days of protests that have rattled the clerical leadership and left at least 22 people dead.

Key points: Violent and spontaneous anti-government protests have been ongoing for six days

Violent and spontaneous anti-government protests have been ongoing for six days Thousands of government supporters have staged counter-protests

Thousands of government supporters have staged counter-protests Iran's Revolutionary Guards were instrumental in suppressing a 2009 uprising

The protests, which began last week out of frustration over economic hardships suffered by the youth and working class, have evolved into a rising against the powers and privileges of a remote elite, especially Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Despite threats from the judiciary that rioters could be sentenced to death, protests resumed after nightfall on Wednesday with hundreds hitting the streets of Malayer, a town in the country's mid-west.

"People are begging, the supreme leader is acting like God!" they chanted.

Videos on social media showed protesters shouting "death to the dictator," a refrain used in protests across the country in an apparent reference to Mr Khamenei.

In a state-sponsored show of force aimed at countering the outpouring of dissent, thousands of Iranians earlier took part in pro-government rallies in several cities.

Demonstrators attend a pro-government rally in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Iran. ( AP: Mehdi Pedramkhoo/Mehr News Agency )

State television broadcast live footage of rallies in cities across the country, where marchers waved Iranian flags and portraits of Mr Khamenei, Iran's paramount leader since 1989.

Pro-government marchers chanted, "The blood in our veins is a gift to our leader" and "We will not leave our leader alone," in reference to Mr Khameni.

In a sign of official concern about the resilience of the anti-government movement, the Revolutionary Guards' commander said he had dispatched forces to three provinces to tackle "the new sedition".

Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said the Guards would be deployed to the sprawling Islamic Republic's Hamadan, Isfahan and Lorestan regions, where most of the week's deaths had occurred.

Mr Jafari said the pro-government rallies marked an end to protests that he said "were a maximum of 1,500 people in each place, and the number of troublemakers did not exceed 15,000 people nationwide."

The Revolutionary Guards were founded during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the US-backed shah.

Unlike the regular military, the sole purpose of the Guards is protecting the country's Shiite theocracy.

The forces were instrumental in suppressing an uprising over alleged election fraud in 2009 in which dozens of mainly middle-class protesters were killed.

Mr Khamenei condemned that unrest as "sedition".

Pro-government demonstrators decry outside influence

The pro-government rallies across the country accused the United States, Israel and Britain of inciting protests, shouting, "The seditionist rioters should be executed!"

In the Shiite holy city of Qom, pro-government demonstrators chanted, "Death to American mercenaries".

The 78-year-old Mr Khamenei had earlier accused Iran's adversaries of fuelling the protests.

US President Donald Trump, who has sought to isolate the Tehran leadership, reversing the conciliatory approach of predecessor Barack Obama, said Washington would throw its support behind the protesters at a suitable time.

"Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!" Mr Trump wrote in the latest of a series of tweets on Iran's turmoil.

In Washington, a senior Trump administration official said the US aimed to collect "actionable information" that could allow it to pursue sanctions against Iranian individuals and organisations involved in the crackdown.

But in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said the tone of comments from the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia was "almost one that would lead us to war … a deliberate strategy for some."

The protests have heaped pressure on President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who championed a deal struck with world powers in 2015 to curb Iran's disputed nuclear programme in return for the lifting of most international sanctions.

Sorry, this video has expired Iran State TV coverage of protests

ABC/wires