Protesters storm Iranian consulate in Iraq’s Basra

Al-Arabia – Protesters stormed the Iranian consulate in Iraq’s southern oil hub Basra on Friday, local security sources said.

The consulate is in the upscale neighborhood of al-Barda;iya, southeast of the city center.

Demonstrators have targeted local government buildings and political party offices since protests intensified on Monday.

Protesters in Basra had stormed and set fire to a provincial government building and several Iran-backed political parties’ headquarters, before moving to the Iranian consulate on Thursday night where they chanted slogans against “Iranian interference” in their country.

Several social media users and news sites shared a video of one of the protesters condemning the “dependence of some officials on neighboring countries who claim that they are an Islamic state” where he was referring to Iran.

The protester went on to say that Iran cut of the water supply from Iraq for their own benefit, adding that people’s living conditions are “tragic because our government is a subordinate and does not include any noble person.”

“We want an independent country not run by parties, no, no to political parties,” he said.

Iraqi protesters had stormed and set fire to a provincial government building in Basra on Thursday, despite a curfew imposed by authorities to try and quell demonstrations against poor public services and unemployment that have turned violent.

The angry protesters burned the headquarters of the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia.

According to local security sources, one protester was killed, and 14 injured during the violent protests in Basra on Thursday.

Ten members of the security forces were also wounded, the sources said.

The  protests that began about a week ago in Basra have so far left at least 10 dead.