Iran: At least 19 dead after riots in Sahedan

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A veiled woman on her way to Friday prayers: The Internet in Iran is massively restricted, and current images of the protests are hardly ever made public

Photo: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH / EPA

At least 19 people were killed and 20 wounded in violent clashes between demonstrators and police officers in southeastern Iran.

Among the dead are three high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guards, including the local intelligence chief.

This is reported by the Iranian state news agency IRNA.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards are a powerful military arm of Tehran created to keep the regime in power.

The nationwide protests were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

The vice police had arrested the young woman for alleged violations of the dress code.

Amini fell into a coma in police custody and died in a hospital on September 16.

Critics accuse the morality police of using violence.

The police firmly deny the allegations.

Since the young woman's death, thousands of people have been demonstrating across the country against the repressive course of the government and the security forces, as well as the Islamic system (read an analysis here).

The state agency IRNA reports that "terrorist and separatist groups" attacked a police station after Friday prayers in Sahedan and set fire to public property, including banks, shops and government offices.

Two "terrorists" were shot dead and several arrested.

But there is no connection to the ongoing protests.

On social media, many see things differently.

The information cannot be verified at this time.

The situation in Iran is confusing: the internet is massively restricted, mobile internet services have largely been shut down, Instagram and WhatsApp are practically non-functional.

Voice of America, the US state-funded international broadcaster, released several viewer-submitted videos purporting to show scenes of the confrontation in Sahedan.

A video reportedly filmed from inside a mosque shows worshipers running away while gunfire appears to have been heard outside.

Other clips, which appear to have come from the surrounding streets, show a man running and throwing a rock, a police vehicle on fire, gunfire audible in the distance.

According to the human rights organization Amnesty International, as early as September 21, the Iranian leadership instructed the commanders in all provinces to act with all severity against demonstrators.

According to Amnesty, it has a document in which it says that live ammunition should be used against "troublemakers and opponents of the revolution".

The escalation of violence is a conscious strategy of the Iranian leadership, according to Amnesty.

At least 52 women, men and children have died as a result of the actions of the security forces since the protests began, according to Amnesty.

Several foreigners arrested

Iranian authorities reported on Friday evening that nine foreigners had been arrested in the context of the protests.

A German was among them.

The other arrested come from France, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Sweden.

They are said to have either taken part directly in the system-critical protests or acted in the background.

vet/dpa/AP