At least five dead as despot regime opens fire on Iranian protests

A picture appearing to show unrest in Iran (Image: @AliiiiEbraHimii)Multiple fatalities have been reported with images showing blood on the ground and people being carried away after security forces reportedly opened fire on protesters in Iran. There are reports of at least five people dead. It has not been possible to independently verify this. The Islamic Republic has been gripped by demonstrations since the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody last month. The unrest has posed one of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution.Footage posted online from the Twitter account @AliiiiEbraHimii appears to show blood on the floor and a large crowd gathered in a street under the message: “Khamenei’s mercenaries are firing directly at protesting people on Khayyam Street. So far, five people have been martyred.”It has not been possible to independently verify the video.Separate video footage on social media showed protesters on Friday in the city of Zahedan, close to Iran’s southeastern border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for the death of “dictator” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Basij militia, which has played a major role in the crackdown on demonstrations.Dozens of people were killed in clashes in Zahedan four weeks ago during anti-government protests. The provincial security council has said armed dissidents had provoked the clashes, leading to innocent people’s deaths, but admitted “shortcomings” by police.She said protesters in detention were also sometimes being denied medical treatment.Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its intelligence unit foiled a bomb attack in the southern city of Shiraz, two days after a deadly shooting at a shrine there, the guards’ news agency Sepah News said.Wednesday’s shooting, which was claimed by Islamic State, killed 15 worshippers at the Shah Cheragh shrine.Iran’s supreme Leader vowed on Thursday to retaliate against those threatening the country’s security after the massacre of Shi’ite pilgrims.