Government forces kill six in north-west Iran riots

Iran Focus Orumieh, Iran, May 26 – At least six anti-government protestors were killed by security forces during clashes late Thursday in the north-western town of Naqadeh, according to dissidents.

The incident occurred as more than 1,000 Iranian Azeris took part in a rally outside the governor’s office.

Angry protestors torched both the governor’s office and the local office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

In the course of clashes between protestors and security forces, at least six people were killed and dozens injured.

The deaths brought to at least nine the number of protestors killed by government forces since Monday when a wave of anti-government protests began in dozens of towns and cities in north-west Iran against the publication of an insulting cartoon in the official daily Iran.

On Monday, at least 100,000 Azeris rallied in the city of Tabriz. Subsequently, thousands have taken part in often violent demonstrations in the towns of Orumieh, Zanjan, Marand, and Ardebil.

Ethnic Azeris make up approximately 25 percent of Iran’s population.