Tragedy Strikes as 30-Year-Old Man Guns Down 12 Relatives in Southeast Iran Amidst Family Dispute
Deadly Shooting with Kalashnikov Assault Rifle Marks One of Iran’s Worst Incidents in Decades
In a shocking incident on Saturday, a 30-year-old man unleashed a devastating attack in a rural area of southeast Iran, resulting in the deaths of 12 of his relatives. The assailant, whose identity has not been disclosed, reportedly used a Kalashnikov assault rifle during the rampage.
According to prosecutors in the province of Kerman, the motive behind the attack was a deep-seated family dispute, leading the gunman to open fire on his own father, brother, and other relatives. This tragic event is now considered one of the deadliest shootings to occur in Iran in recent decades.
While shootings are occasionally reported in Iran, the scale of Saturday’s attack stands out as one of the highest death tolls in a country where citizens are legally restricted to owning hunting rifles, commonly found in rural areas.
This unfortunate incident recalls previous instances of violence in the country. In 2022, a former employee, dismissed from a state-owned financial conglomerate, carried out a shooting at his former workplace, resulting in three fatalities and five injuries before he took his own life in the west of the country. Additionally, in 2016, a 26-year-old man shot 10 relatives in a rural area in the south of Iran.
The surge in violence in recent years may be attributed to the challenging economic conditions faced by the country, exacerbated by crippling American sanctions. The resultant impact includes soaring inflation rates and rising unemployment, contributing to an environment that appears conducive to such tragic events.