Protests continue in Iran; demonstrations in Aligudarz and Shahinshahr

Protests over water shortages in Khuzestan, which began last week, have entered their eighth night and have continued in other provinces. Images posted on social media showed protests in Aligudarz, Lorestan, and Shahinshahr, Isfahan province.

Reports and images published on social media indicate that protests in Iran are continuing.

Protests against the lack of water, electricity, and the transfer of Khuzestan water to other areas that began in Khuzestan province last week entered their eighth night on Thursday night, July 22, and spread to neighboring provinces.

Video footage shows protesters blocking a number of streets in Aligudarz, Lorestan Province, by burning tires.

According to published reports, clashes have occurred between demonstrators in Aligudarz, Lorestan Province, and security forces, and a number of people have been injured after officers fired on protesters.

Some unconfirmed reports indicate that a young man was killed during protest rallies in Aligudarz.

In one of the video images, which is said to be related to the events of Thursday night in Aligudarz, the bloody body of a young man can be seen.

Other videos show family members of one of the injured people gathering in front of a hospital in Aligudarz.

According to reports and video images posted on social media, a rally in Shahinshahr, Isfahan, has also taken place in support of the Khuzestan protests. In these videos, slogans such as "Heihat min al-Dhaleh" (The Voice of Humiliation) can be heard.

Reports have also been published on social media regarding protest gatherings in Bandar Genaveh and Borazjan in Bushehr province.

IRNA news agency has reported protests in a number of cities in Khuzestan province in recent days and a "strong presence" of security forces in the cities of Shadegan, Mahshahr, Izeh, Dasht-e Azadegan, and some areas of Ahvaz.

Reporting on the protests has become difficult due to internet disruptions, and activists believe there is a fear that the government will suppress the protests through news silence, as it did in November 2019.

Netblocks, the global Internet traffic monitoring organization, also confirmed that it has evidence of regional disruptions in mobile Internet service in Iran since a week ago.

The company attributed the disruption in the internet network to the start of public protests in Khuzestan.

Source: DW