The geographical nature of Iran's ongoing anti-government protests is unique, analysts told CNBC on Tuesday.

At least 20 people have been reported killed during clashes as of Tuesday night, bringing the death toll from the unrest to 21. The deputy provincial governor of Tehran said Tuesday that police had arrested more than 450 protestors over the past three days, as authorities look to contain the widespread anti-government demonstrations that erupted last week.

"The geographical pattern of the protests is very interesting," Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal analyst for the Middle East and Northern Africa at risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC in an email Tuesday.

Protests against economic hardships and alleged corruption initially flared in Iran's second city of Mashad on Thursday. The clashes have since escalated across the country, with many protesters calling for the religious establishment to step down.



"The protests have since not only spread geographically but also broadened in scope to incorporate a wide range of popular grievances … There is no doubt now that the protests have now taken on a life of their own," Soltvedt said.

"Crucially, the protests are now firmly beyond the control of any political factions or movements."