A number of Abadan citizens gather to protest against “incompetent officials”

According to videos posted on social media, a number of Abadan citizens have been demonstrating in connection with the collapse of the Metropol building. It is said that mobile internet has been cut off for a while in some cities of Khuzestan.

Videos published on social media show a number of Abadan citizens protesting on the evening of Wednesday, May 25.

Demonstrators are expressing their anger at the authorities' response to the collapse of the Metropole Tower in Abadan with various slogans such as "Abadan, rise up, your brother was killed," "Go away, mullah," "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I will sacrifice my life for Iran," "Death to the incompetent official," and "Incompetent official, resign, resign."

According to reports from social media users in Abadan, Andimeshk, Ramhormoz, and several other cities in Khuzestan, mobile internet lines were down or very weak for several hours.

According to the latest official figures, at least 16 people were killed and 37 injured in the building collapse.

In the past three days, images of scattered protests by Abadan citizens have been published.

Social media users have also said that due to the rising temperatures, a foul smell can be smelled at the debris removal site.

According to Tasnim news agency, the incident "has suffered from the lack of a unified command so far."

Tasnim continued its report by writing: "What the latest situation is, what is needed, and what people should do further showed the lack of command."

According to Mohammad Naseri, Khuzestan's representative in the Supreme Council of Provinces, this incident was the result of violations by the private sector, the Engineering System Organization, the municipality, and the city council.

Nasseri, while stating that if the incident had occurred at night, the number of victims would have been much higher, emphasized: "People are upset about this tragedy and they have the right to be upset."

The governor of Khuzestan announced that the structure of the Metropole building was very heavy and that technical issues were not taken into account. According to Sadegh Khalilian, the building was designed for six floors, but then three floors were added, and then two more floors were added.

Source: DW