Iranians protested for the fifth consecutive night yesterday in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, as well as in the western province of Lorestan.

Despite the increase in anti-riot police and the crackdown on protesters on the fifth night, more people, including women, took part in the water protests. The cities of Dezful, Ramhormoz, Shushtar and Veys joined the protests on the fifth night. The locals in Khorramabad in the neighboring province of Lorestan also joined the water protests.

In the past five days, over 20 cities joined the water protests including Ahvaz, Abadan, Susangerd, Shadegan, Hoveizeh, Kut Abdollah, Mahshahr, Bostan, Mollasani, Abou Homeyzeh, Hamidiyeh, Shush, Hosseinabad, Kut-e Seyyed Naim, Khorramshahr, Kut-e Seyyed Naim, Malashie, Veys, Ramhormoz, Chamran, Dezful, Shushtar in Khuzestan, Khorramabad in Lorestan, and Mashhad in the northeastern province of Razavi Khorasan.

Protesters demanded water and created roadblocks by burning tires on the main roads. Crowds chanted for the Governor to resign in Susangerd. In Ahvaz, locals chanted “Karoun is our pride”, referring to the Karoun river, one of the main rivers in Khuzestan which has dried out.

In Chamran (Jarahi), riot police attacked protesters with tear gas. Gunshots are heard in the background of some videos. Riot police used brutal force to suppress the protesters. They tried to disperse the demonstrators with pepper sprays, tear gas, and shotgun shells.

Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province

Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province is home to a large ethnic Arab population. Khuzestan is the hottest inhabited region in Iran and sometimes the world.

The water shortage protests are caused because of the drying up of the provinces’ two main rivers, the Karkheh and Karun Rivers.

Iranians blame the regimes’ policies for the severe water shortage. They believe the regime’s elites and the unelected Supreme Leader have deprived them of their basic living rights, including the recent water shortage.

Source » irannewswire