Reports from Iran say that Monday evening and on Tuesday there were clashes and tensions between residents of the southeastern city of Dezful and the neighboring town Andimeshk over a new sign showing the borders of the two townships.
The two cities are in the oil-rich Khuzestan province, where labor unrest has been going on for months. The Vahdati air force base, built during the monarchy, is located nearby.
Police resorted to firing in the air to control the clashes but on Tuesday Andimeshk residents destroyed a large sign installed by the rival city, claiming that it was placed on the territory of their town.
The Friday Prayer Leader of Dezful condemned this act, saying that there were pictures of “martyrs” who had died in Syria on the sign. “The people of Andimeshk should separate themselves from a group of trouble-makers and not allow these disturbances” to blacken their name, he said.
The cleric demanded tough action against those who are responsible for the clashes and said that “the enemy will be able to create insecurity, and the anti-revolutionaries will be able to ride the waves…”.
Since the early years of the Islamic Republic Dezful and Andimeshk have had disagreement about the borders of their townships.
The Andimeshk police chief seems to have blamed Dezful authorities, who he said had installed the sign at night, angering the people of Andimeshk. But he added that police have controlled the situation.
