Iranians set on fire as unrest continues over woman’s death

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Iranians set on fire as unrest continues over woman’s death

Protesters in Tehran and several other Iranian cities have torched police stations and vehicles as unrest caused by the death of a woman detained by the Islamic Republic's morality police for a sixth day.

Mahsa Amini, 22, was arrested last week for wearing unsuitable clothing by the morality police in Tehran.

She fell into a coma while in detention, and later died in the hospital.

The authorities have said they will launch an investigation into her death, which has resulted in huge anger and the worst protests in Iran since 2019.

The protests have been concentrated in Iran's Kurdish-populated north-western regions, but have spread to the capital and at least 50 cities and towns nationwide, with police using force to disperse protesters.

There was video of demonstrators shouting: "We will die, we will die but we'll get Iran back near a police station," which was set on fire, apparently filmed at protests in the north-east.

The footage, which could not be verified, was posted on the 1500 tasvir Twitter account, which focuses on Iranian protests and has more than 100,000 followers.

Another police station was set ablaze in the capital Tehran as the unrest spread from Kurdistan, the home province of Ms Amini.

Iran's rulers fear a resurgence of the protests over fuel price rises in the year 2019 -- the bloodiest in the Islamic Republic's history.

Mojtaba, may you die and not become the Supreme Leader, a crowd was seen chanting in more unverified social media footage shot in Tehran, referring to Khamenei's son, who some believe could succeed his father.

The death toll was increased on Wednesday by the Kurdish rights group Hengaw, who reported that three protesters were killed by security forces.

Security forces killed protesters, suggesting that they may have been shot by armed dissidents.

With no sign of the protests easing, authorities have stopped access to the internet, according to accounts from Hengaw residents and NetBlocks.

Ms Amini's death has caused fury across Iran over issues including freedoms in the Islamic Republic and an economy reeling from sanctions.

Women have played a prominent role in the protests, waving and burning their veils, with some cutting their hair in public.

In northern Iran, more unnoticed footage showed crowds armed with batons and rocks attacking two members of the security forces on a motorbike, as a crowd of onlookers cheered.