Iran rejects higher death tolls in ethnic unrest

Reuters:

The death toll from ethnic unrest in oil-rich southwest Iran remains five, an Iranian official said on Saturday, rejecting higher figures from a rights group and exiled opposition activists.

Officials say demonstrations on April 15 were sparked by the circulation of a forged letter, supposedly from a senior official, suggesting that Iran's Arab minority be relocated to dilute its influence in the oil-producing heartland.

Amnesty International's Arabic Web site said the rights group had received "unconfirmed reports" of 31 dead in the violence in Khuzestan province.

The People's Mujahideen, an armed opposition movement listed as a terrorist group by Washington, said in a statement sent to Reuters via its political wing that 62 people had died.

But Iran's interior ministry spokesman said both figures were wrong. "The figure is still five," Jahanbakhsh Khanjani said. Some three percent of Iran's 67 million people are Arabs.