A member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was shot dead during events falling on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, state media reported on Sunday.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died in police custody on September 16, 2022 following her arrest for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.

Her death triggered months-long demonstrations which saw hundreds killed, including dozens of security personnel, in what Tehran labelled as “riots” fomented by foreign governments and “hostile media”.

“One person was martyred and three people were injured” on Saturday evening in a “blind shooting” by two unknown assailants towards Basij guards in the city of Nurabad in Southern Fars province, state news agency IRNA reported.

The news agency did not immediately elaborate on the assailants’ identity or the motivation for the shooting.

“The intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies of the province are trying to arrest the assailants” who fled after the shooting, it said.

The Revolutionary Guards,meanwhile, announced that a dual national was arrested over “attempts to organise riots and vandalism” in Karaj city west of the capital Tehran.

The Guards did not elaborate further on the suspect’s identity or other nationality.

On Saturday, authorities arrested several groups over accusations of “planning to create chaos” and producing content to serve “hostile media”, according to IRNA.

Many of the arrests were made in Amini’s home province of Kurdistan, as well as Iran’s northwest and south, the agency added.

Others were arrested in the northeastern province of North Khorasan for instigating “riots”, according to the Mehr news agency.

Authorities in the central city of Isfahan have “identified 97 people” and blocked 15 Instagram pages for attempting to stir up “public opinion” on the anniversary of the protests, IRNA said.

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...