Protests in Kazerun “escalated into violence and clashes”
Various reports on social media indicate that violence and clashes have occurred during the protest rally in Kazerun. According to unconfirmed reports, police officers have opened fire.
According to reports published on social media, the city of Kazerun, located in Fars Province, witnessed a protest rally on Wednesday evening (May 16).
Citing video reports published on social media, the Iranian Human Rights Campaign posted a message on Twitter, which spoke of the formation of the nightly gathering in Kazerun following a call from several local Telegram channels.
According to the Iranian Human Rights Campaign, the protest rally turned violent with police intervention and shooting. Some unconfirmed reports indicate that a number of protesters were killed and injured.
In one of its tweets, the Human Rights Campaign referred to local media reports that "at least three civilians were killed by direct police fire."
According to Hassan A., a DW Persian user, clashes were still ongoing in several parts of the city of Kazerun at around 10 a.m. Iranian time. He reported a heavy presence of security forces and riot police with motorized units and water cannons. According to this user, internet and mobile phone connections have also been cut off.
"Kazerouni will die, it will not accept humiliation" is one of the slogans heard in videos released from the Kazerun protest rally.
The change in the country's divisions, the decision to divide Kazerun into Fars Province and form a new county, sparked protests in April of this year that have continued for several weeks. These protests have been accompanied by large gatherings and the closure of markets.
At the end of April, protesters in Kazerun even chanted slogans during Friday prayers in the city's mosque, calling Kazerun's Friday imam "unworthy." "Our enemy is here, they lie, it's America," was one of the protesters' slogans at the event.
According to Islamic Republic officials, the creation of new counties is a normal process in the division of the country, which is carried out based on "expert studies."
Bahram Parsai, a member of the board of directors of the Omid Majles faction and Shiraz's representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in an interview with ILNA News Agency in late April, considered the root and main reason for the protests of the people of Kazerun to be "livelihood and economic issues."
He had stated in this regard: "The main factor behind these unrests is the same protests that we generally see in other parts of society, and we see that people are protesting against the living and economic situation, as well as the employment situation, and it seems that people are trying to make their voices heard by the authorities by relying on these excuses."
Eshaq Jahangiri, the First Vice President of Iran, also addressed the protests of the people of Kazerun on May 1.
He said in a meeting: "The Kazerun issue must be resolved. People cannot take to the streets every day and some people can ride on this wave and chant their slogans. The government has not made any decision about Kazerun."
Source: DW
