Iran’s southeast erupts in political violence that leaves many dead

Iran’s sparsely populated southeast erupted in protests and violence on Friday, with tens injured and killed at the hands of security forces in multiple cities, according to human rights monitors.

Protesters emerged from prayers to gunfire in the cities of the largely ethnic Baluch region along the country’s southeast border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, a long restive region. One human rights activist told The Independent that some 30 people were injured or shot dead in the city of Khash, a sleepy desert town of 60,000.

There were also outbreaks of political violence in Zahedan, the provincial capital, Iranshahr, Rask and Saravan as the Revolutionary Guard and other regime armed forces opened fire on the protesters.

“There were very large protests, many people came out,” Shir-Ahmad Shirani, editor of Haalvash, a Baluch rights advocacy group and website, said in an interview. “The security forces started firing on the people from the rooftops.”

Videos posted online showed protesters blocking roads with rocks and fires.  In Zahedan, young protesters could be seen ducking for cover as regime forces opened fire. “Death to the dictator!” they call out.

Another clip showed a lifeless young man reportedly struck by gunfire in Khash and covered in blood. “Allahu akbar!” someone calls out in grief.

Another clip showed an entire commercial district Khash et afire, allegedly at the hands of security forces. Hospitals warned of shortages of blood for treating the wounded. Many of the injured and dead were under 18 years old, Mr Shirani said.

Iran has been riven by seven weeks of protests sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who had been abducted by the morality police. Daily protests have led to at least 300 dead and at least 37 slain members of the security forces, according to Hrana, an Oslo-based rights group.

On Friday, the G7 group of wealthy western nations issued a statement of support for the Iranian protesters. “We condemn the violent death of the young Iranian woman ‘Jina’ Mahsa Amini after her arrest by Iran’s so-called ‘morality police,’” said the statement. “We further condemn the brutal and disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters and children.”

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