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Five people killed during Sunday riots in Hamadan, Khuzestan: Iranian officials

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 09:33PM

Iranian officials say that a total of five people were killed during riots following protest rallies held in the country's western province of Hamadan and southern province of Khuzestan on Sunday.

"Unfortunately, three people lost their lives following or during the destruction of public property in the city Tuyserkan," said Hamadan province's deputy for political and security affairs, Seyyed Saeed Shahrokhi, on Monday.

Since Thursday, groups of Iranian protesters have staged demonstrations in several cities to voice their anger over rising prices and economic conditions. Sporadic violence has erupted during the protests, causing a number of casualties.

"Protests held in Izeh on Sunday night resulted in the deaths of two people," said Izeh's parliamentary representative Hedayatollah Khademei.

He added that the deaths were still being investigated, and that conditions in the city had returned to normal.

On Sunday, a Lorestan provincial official said two people were killed during a protest rally in a western Iranian city on Saturday, adding that Takfiri groups and foreign intelligence services appear to be behind the killings.

Also on Monday, Iran's Intelligence Ministry announced that it has identified and arrested some of the agents behind riots.

Earlier in the day, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani reiterated that the Iranian people are completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests according to the Constitution and citizenship rights, noting that the people would deal with a "small and minority group" of rioters and lawbreakers exploiting the protests as an excuse to chant slogans in violation of the law and people's demands, insult the sanctities and values of the Islamic Revolution, and damage public property.

"The enemy will not remain silent vis-à-vis the nation's progress and greatness, but there are also deceived people among the protesters who have rightful demands," Rouhani said.