Iranian police fire shots, teargas to disperse protests over building collapse

FILE PHOTO: General view at the site of a ten-storey building collapse in Abadan, Iran May 23, 2022. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian police used tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse another night of protests over a deadly building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan that officials are blaming on corruption and lax safety, Fars news agency and reports on social media said.

Officials in the oil producing region of Khuzestan, where Abadan is located, said the death toll had risen to 29 people, and another 37 were injured in Monday's collapse of the 10-storey residential and commercial building. So far 13 people have been arrested for building violations, they said.