Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Jan. 2 (LaPresse/AP) – The death toll in the protests in Iran, triggered by the economic crisis, has risen to at least seven. The most intense violence appears to have occurred in Azna, a city in Iran’s Lorestan province, about 300 kilometers southwest of Tehran. There, some online videos show objects on fire in the streets and gunfire echoing as people shout “Shame on you! Shame on you!” The semi-official Fars news agency reported that three people were killed there. Other media outlets, including reformist ones, cited Fars for the report, while state media did not give full prominence to the violence. Two more people were reportedly killed during demonstrations in Lordegan, a city in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Some online videos show crowds gathered in the streets, with the sound of gunfire in the background. In Fuladshahr, in Isfahan province, state media reported the death of a man who, according to activist groups, was killed by police fire on protesters. A separate demonstration reportedly led to the death of a 21-year-old volunteer from the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij paramilitary force.
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