One killed in Iran protests against fuel price hike
One person was killed in the Iranian city of Sirjan
during protests that erupted after President Hassan Rouhani's government imposed
gasoline rationing and price hikes of at least 50 percent, Iranian ISNA news
agency reported on Saturday.
"One person was killed in Sirjan but ... we are
investigating whether he was killed by the security forces who were trying to
bring back calm to the city," ISNA quoted local official Mohammad
Mahmoudabadi as saying.
"The situation is calm in the city and
everything is under control since last night."
The Iranian government announced on Friday that the
price of a liter of regular gasoline had increased to 15,000 rials (12.7 U.S.
cents) from 10,000 rials and the monthly ration for each private car was set at
60 liters. Additional purchases would cost 30,000 rials per liter.
Hundreds of people protested against the price hikes
in areas including the northeastern city of Mashhad, in the southeastern
province of Kerman and the oil rich province of Khuzestan, Iranian media
reported.
