One killed in Iran water shortage protests: state media

A demonstrator was shot dead during protests against water shortages in drought-hit southwestern Iran, state media reported Saturday, with officials blaming the death on "opportunists and rioters".

The demonstrator was killed in the Khuzestan province town of Shadegan, the official IRNA news agency said.

"Last night (Friday), a number of Shadegan's people had gathered to protest water shortages due to the drought, during which opportunists and rioters shot dead one of the demonstrators," the county's acting governor, Omid Sabripour, told IRNA.