At least 17 flydubai flights scheduled for Friday between Dubai and Iranian cities including Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad have been cancelled, the Dubai Airports website showed.

A countrywide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday and extended into Friday as authorities moved to curb expanding protests.

Nationwide protests over economic hardships started at the end of December, and have shaken the country.

A flydubai spokesperson said that flights to Iran on Friday had been cancelled and that the airline "will continue to monitor the situation" and revise its flight schedule accordingly, without giving a reason for the disruption.

In addition, Turkish media have said Turkish Airlines cancelled 17 flights, Turkey's Ajet cancelled six flights and budget carrier Pegasus Airlines cancelled flights to Iranian cities on Friday.

At least two flights between Qatar's Doha and Tehran scheduled for Friday were also cancelled, Hamad International Airport website showed.