Three people killed in clashes in southeast Iran

Tehran: Three people were killed over two days in clashes in the southeastern Iranian town of Saravan near the border with Pakistan, the semiofficial ILNA news agency reported.

An angry mob stormed the district governor’s office Tuesday, a day after shootings at the border left at least two people dead.

Tuesday’s ILNA report quoted Malak Fazeli, Saravan’s representative in parliament, as saying: “As far as I know, three people lost their lives while being transferred to the hospital.”

It was unclear whether all three people were killed in the border shootings or if one of the fatalities was a result of the chaos at the district governor’s office.

Fazeli said another eight people were hospitalized with injuries but three were released.

He said calm had returned to the town.

Saravan is a major city in Sistan-Baluchestan, a desert province that is one of the most restive and least developed parts of Iran.

Local official Mohammad Hadi Marashi said Tuesday the outrage at the governors’ office stemmed from the shooting of several fuel smugglers on the Pakistani side of the border near Saravan the day before.