An Iranian man who set himself on fire after municipal workers shut down his family’s food stand died on Tuesday from his injuries, prompting the country’s president to order an investigation.
University student Ahmad Baledi, 20, had doused himself in petrol and lit himself ablaze on November 2 in Ahvaz, the capital of southwestern Khuzestan province, after municipal workers moved to demolish his family’s food kiosk in Zeytoon Park.
Baledi suffered burns over 70 percent of his body, state TV said Tuesday, adding he “was sent to a hospital in the city of Ahvaz for treatment, but he died despite the efforts of the medical staff.”
Tens of activists gathered outside the Taleghani Burn Hospital in Ahvaz, demanding the dismissal of the city’s mayor and the prosecution of all agents involved in the incident.
Following the incident, the city's mayor and a municipal manager were arrested for allegedly inappropriately carrying out the eviction, the judiciary's Mizan Online news portal reported, according to AFP.
“The two officials are currently out on bail,” Mizan said, adding that “several people who sought to create tension and chaos on social media were also arrested and are currently out on bail.”
Later, the Nour News agency said the mayor of Ahvaz and municipal workers from District 3 have resigned.
Ahmad’s father, Mujahid Baldi, told the Nour News agency, “I will not receive my son's body until both Reza Amini, the mayor of Ahvaz, and one of the municipal directors, named Amid Shams, leave the city.”
Earlier, Ahvaz prosecutor Amir Khalafian told the Mizan Online news portal, “The municipality, regardless of the judicial authority's insistence and the established conditions, arbitrarily and at an inappropriate time, returned to the desired location to evacuate this store.”
Khalafian elaborated that following the expiration of the lease for the space, which Baledi rented from the city, the municipality had asked him to vacate it but he refused to do so.
The father said his son “began dousing himself with fuel while one of the municipal agents mocked him, asking, ‘Should I give you a lighter? Matches?’”
Videos shared on social media appeared to show a small crowd of bystanders crowding the area as fire extinguishers were deployed.
Following the young man's death, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the interior minister to form a special committee to carefully investigate the incident.
