Violence as protests over water shortages spread

Water shortages in Iran have led to protests that have spread to the capital. The protests began in the southwest province of Khuzestan, one of the hottest places on earth with summer temperatures rising above 50C. The province is home to Iran’s ethnic Arab minority, which has often been at odds with the regime and has spawned a sometimes violent separatist group. A week of demonstrations and confrontations with the security forces has led to the deaths of a policeman and two protesters. In the past few days, protests have also been recorded in Tehran, with a group of women on the metro shown on video chanting: ‘‘Down with the Islamic Republic.’’