Australia's ambassador to Iran given 'necessary warnings' after Anthony Albanese criticises human rights record

In a statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Australia's ambassador Lyndall Sachs over the comments, which took aim at the plight of women under the Islamic Republic's hardline regime.

The exact wording of Mr Albanese's comments, or where they were made, is not yet clear, though the Prime Minister has been attending the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali.

Iran is facing its biggest civil unrest in over a decade, as protests sparked by the death of a woman at the hands of its religious police continue to rage. The regime has responded with a brutal crackdown.

But Iranian government spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has attempted to turn the tables on Mr Albanese, accusing Australia of "murdering" asylum seekers and Indigenous people in prison.

Mr Kanaani said "necessary warnings" had been conveyed to Ms Sachs.

"[Australia] lacks the least moral legitimacy for preaching about human rights," Mr Kanaani said.

"It seems that the Prime Minister of Australia has taken a wrong approach based on false information, which does not help the relations between the two countries."

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Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday described reports Iran had imposed its first death sentence over the protests as "deeply disturbing".

"We continue to support the people of Iran and their right to freedom of expression and equality for women and girls," she said.

Thousands were in detention across Iran after a government crackdown on the protests, which erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini in September.

The 22-year-old succumbed to her injuries, allegedly sustained during a beating, in hospital after being arrested by Iran's hardline religious police.

Protests began in her hometown within hours of the death, and have since spread to form anti-regime demonstrations across the country.

Iranian women have since been filmed removing their hijabs, required under Iranian law, while government forces opened fire on street demonstrations in Tehran on Tuesday evening.

Amnesty International has reported at least 300 people have been killed during the demonstrations, the largest in the country in over a decade, though the number is suspected to be far higher.