Iran: Man killed amid water crisis protest
July 17, 2021
Iranian police are investigating the death of a 30-year-old man killed by gunshot during protests over water shortages.
A governor's office spokesman on Saturday said the shot was fired by the "rioters" and not the police, the spokesman also said the death was caused by people firing into the air rather than targeting individuals.
Iran's acting governor, Omid Sabripour, said those responsible for the man's death were identified and some arrested on Friday night. There is a manhunt to catch the others.
Sabripour blamed the man's death on opportunists and rioters, adding that the perpetrators "sought to agitate the people by shooting in the air" and a "young Shadegan resident" was hit in the process.
Why are people protesting in Iran?
Iran is currently experiencing another severe drought wave that has led to tensions since late March.
Water shortages and power outages have been reported across the country in recent weeks. This impact has been particularly strong in Khuzestan province as temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
Protesters have also slammed the government for not renewing outdated infrastructure.
A delegation from the country's capital, Tehran, were sent to Khuzestan on Friday to review the situation. There are fears that the protests could spread to other provinces.
What do officials say?
Khuzestan member of parliament, Abdollah Izadpanah, blamed the water shortages on "mistakes and unjustified decisions" such as the transfer of water from Khuzestan's rivers to other provinces.
He made these comments on Friday while addressing the complaints by the demonstrators.
Iran saw rolling blackouts this month, which also hit the capital Tehran and several other large cities. Officials blamed it on the impact of the drought on hydroelectric power generation and a surging demand.
While power cuts are not uncommon in Iran during the peak summer months, the problems have grown more severe due to the ongoing drought.
Correction, 20.07.2021: The original version of this article incorrectly stated as fact the claims of a governor's office spokesman, as cited by Iran's INSA news agency, that the man died from gunshots "accidentally fired" into the air.
on/dj (dpa, AFP)