Gunmen kill 9 in protest-hit Iran

Assailants on motorbikes shot dead nine people, including a woman and two children, during protests in two separate attacks in southern Iran, state media said yesterday.

Three suspects were arrested and the hunt was on for others after Wednesday's first attack on protesters and security forces in Izeh.

In a separate attack four hours later in Iran's third largest city Isfahan, two assailants on a motorcycle fired automatic weapons at Basij paramilitary force members, killing two and wounding two others.

The attacks occurred as protests over the September 16 death in custody of Mahsa Amini intensified on the third anniversary of unrest over fuel price hikes.

"Two wounded people died at dawn on Thursday, bringing the death toll to seven killed and eight wounded," IRNA reported.