Protesters attack Iran coastguard base, several persons wounded

Several Iranian coastguard personnel were wounded after protesters attacked the coastguard base, said local media. As per the reports, the clash erupted after a young man was killed in a confrontation between the coastguard and fuel smugglers.

The incident occurred Friday after smugglers in boats in the Sirik area of the Hormuz Strait ignored coastguard warning shots, ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper quoted their provincial commander Hossein Dehaki as saying.

Dehaki was quoted as saying that the guards opened fire after they came under attack from the smugglers with fire bombs and other projectiles.

Iranian media said a 31-year-old Sirik resident was killed.
Hours later, villagers gathered outside the base to demonstrate against the killing, according to state television's Iribnews website, citing a local official.

Dehaki said the protesters, spurred on by "opponents" of the Islamic republic, launched an assault on the coastguard building, seriously injuring several members of the force and causing heavy damage.

This violence has come less than three weeks after deadly clashes with fuel smugglers in Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan province that borders Pakistan.

The UN Human Rights Office said at least 12 people were reportedly killed, two of them minors, and accused Iranian security forces of using excessive force.

(With AFP inputs)