A paramilitary was killed, and ten policemen, as well as a religious man were injured Thursday during violent clashes with demonstrators west of Tehran, according to official Iranian media.
The incidents took place near the Behesht Sakineh cemetery, on the occasion of the 40e day of mourning marking the death of Hadis Najafi, a 22-year-old protester killed during a protest on September 21 in Karaj, 30 km west of the capital.
According to the official Irna agency, a member of Bassij, a paramilitary militia linked to the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, was killed and ten policemen were injured.
For its part, the Fars agency affirmed that the paramilitary, Rouhalah Ajami, 24, was assaulted with knives and stones and his naked body was found on the edge of the road.
Still according to Fars, “public property was damaged and two police officers were seriously injured with knives”.
Protesters blocked traffic on the Karaj-Ghazvin highway and a rescue helicopter was used to transport the two injured policemen.
On this highway, protesters forced a cleric out of his car and attacked him with a knife, according to Fars.
The rioters had blocked the highway by setting fire to tires and smashing traffic signs where the highway adjoins the cemetery, according to the Mehr news agency.
According to a Karaj security official, “rioters damaged several automobiles and security forces made several arrests”, according to Mehr. “At the beginning of the evening, the situation had returned to normal”.