This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Protesters have again taken to the streets in several Iranian cities, with some shouting “Death to Khamenei,” as the death toll in the collapse of a building in the city of Abadan rose to 34.
The collapse of a large section of the 10-story Metropol building that was under construction was one of Iran’s deadliest such disasters in years.
The May 23 accident has sparked eight days of protests in the city as the country reels from unrest over rising food prices and other economic issues amid the harsh sanctions imposed by the United States over Iran’s nuclear program.
“With the body of another citizen of Abadan found under the rubble, the death toll in the Metropol accident has reached 34,” a spokesman for the building said on May 31.
Thirty-seven people were injured in the collapse, while crews continue to search for more bodies. It is thought that the bodies of more than 25 victims could still be trapped in the wreckage.
Authorities have blamed the accident on isolated corruption and lax safety standards. So far, 13 people are reported to have been arrested for construction violations.
The protesters, however, say government negligence and endemic corruption are behind the accident.
Video posted on social media showed some protesters shouting “Death to Khamenei,” a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Abadan, in Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan Province, is home to Iran’s Arab minority, who have long complained about being treated as second-class citizens in the country.
