Under the title "Iran: One Person Killed in 'Riots' in Lorestan Province," Sky News reported that a person was killed and two others were injured in gunfire during "riots" late Thursday in Lorestan Province, located in western Iran, as announced by state television. The Iranian television hinted that the "riots" were linked to protests occurring in Khuzestan Province, in the southwestern part of the country, for several days.
The website of the television "IRIB News" reported on Friday that "last night, riots erupted in the streets of Aligudarz in Lorestan Province, lasting for hours," adding that there were "suspicious gunfire from unknown elements," resulting in the death of a person in their twenties and injuring two others, according to AFP. It noted that some participants "claimed they took to the streets over water issues in Khuzestan" which has been experiencing protests since last week.
On the other hand, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei stated that "those protesting against water shortages cannot be blamed." He urged officials to address the water shortage problem, according to Reuters. Protests in several Iranian cities over water shortages in southwestern Iran continued last week amid escalating violence, while residents in the capital, Tehran, chanted anti-government slogans, according to videos shared on social media today and Iranian media.
Several videos posted by social media users showed security forces using tear gas to disperse protesters, while the semi-official news agency Fars stated that "rioters" shot dead a police officer and injured another in the coastal city of Mahshahr in Khuzestan Province.
In the town of Izej, a video showed protesters chanting "Reza Shah, may your soul rest," referring to the king who founded the Pahlavi dynasty, which was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979. After opposition groups and activists called for demonstrations in support of the Khuzestan protesters, videos posted late last night and early today showed women chanting "Down with the Islamic Republic" in a metro station in Tehran. During the night, some people in the capital expressed their anger with chants against Khamenei.
Iran is facing its worst drought in 50 years, and the water crisis has affected families, agriculture, and livestock, leading to power outages.
