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Protesters, Police Clash at Iranian Demonstration Over Water

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In this frame from a social media video posted April 13, 2018, people in Khorasgan, Iran march to protest water shortages that are hurting local farmers.
In this frame from a social media video posted April 13, 2018, people in Khorasgan, Iran march to protest water shortages that are hurting local farmers.

Iranian state media reported clashes late Sunday between police and people protesting water shortages and pollution in southwestern Iran.

The IRNA news agency said protesters in the city of Abadan threw stones and other objects at police, and that officers had brought the situation under control.

A night earlier, there were similar clashes at a water scarcity protest in nearby Khorramshahr that left several people injured.

Videos circulated online showed protesters throwing stones and confronting security forces, while state television showed images of buildings with broken windows. Gunfire could also be heard in some videos. Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said no one was killed in the Khorramshahr clashes. His deputy Hossein Zolfaghari said 11 people were injured, including 10 police officers and one civilian.

Much of Iran is facing drought conditions, which analysts say the government has made worse by mismanagement.

The country has also seen protests against its economic situation, including last week in Tehran, amid a plummet in the value of Iran's currency and a rise in inflation.

The economy is facing added pressure since U.S. President Donald Trump's decision in May to withdraw from the international agreement limited Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

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