Protests continue in Khuzestan for the fourth consecutive night

According to news published on social media, the protests of the people of Khuzestan continued for the fourth consecutive night. Accordingly, at least one protester was injured in Susangerd. Hassan Rouhani has ordered the allocation of a special budget.

Images published on social media indicate continued demonstrations by people in various cities in Khuzestan against the lack of water, the transfer of water from the Karkheh and Karun rivers, and the cutting of their water rights.

Images indicate that demonstrations have continued in a number of cities, including Ahvaz, Susangerd, Shavur, Shush, Karkheh, and Shadegan.

According to published videos, at least one protester has been injured in Susangerd. The videos show the sound of gunfire and security forces on motorcycles moving towards the protesters.

In one of these videos, a man, who announces the date of the video as Sunday, July 17, reports the presence of special forces officers in Susangerd and says that they fired "tear gas and pepper spray" at the protesters.

He says the protesters “didn’t even have a stone in their hands” and that the officers attacked the demonstrators “for no reason.” He reports a large number of injuries.

Published news also indicates the arrest of a large number of protesters in the city of Khorramshahr.

While local sources report that more protesters have been killed in the past four days, officials have so far confirmed the deaths of two people, Mustafa Naimawi, 30, and Qassem Khuzairi, 17.

Hassan Rouhani orders special budget allocation

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced on Sunday evening, July 17, that he had ordered a special and urgent budget to be allocated for the water shortage problem in Khuzestan.

According to the Cabinet Office's information website, Rouhani expressed regret for the "current situation" for the people of Khuzestan.

Accordingly, he has ordered the Planning and Budget Organization to allocate the allocated funds to the province "immediately and at 100 percent" of the approved amount.

Officials of the Islamic Republic believe that the water shortage problem in Khuzestan is caused by drought and weather conditions, but the people of Khuzestan believe that mismanagement is the cause of this problem.

Several members of parliament have also described the Khuzestan protests as a conspiracy.

Mahmoud Ahmadi Bighash, a representative from Shazand, wrote in a tweet: "It smells of blood and conspiracy."