TEHRAN, April 16: Fierce fighting has flared between ethnic Arabs and Iranian security forces in a province bordering Iraq, with some sources saying three people had been killed.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said clashes erupted on Friday in the Arab-majority oil-rich province of Khuzestan over reported plans to change the ethnic make-up of the area.

Qatar-based satellite television Al Jazeera said three Arabs were killed, many more injured and as many as 250 arrested after banks and police stations were set ablaze.

But local police quoted by student news agency ISNA would only confirm that one person had been shot at.

Police said that 137 people behind the rioting were arrested while another eight were injured. The unrest, which broke out in three areas of the province’s main city Ahvaz, resulted in damage to public buildings and banks.

IRNA reported three injured and, quoting an official at the governorate’s office, said the area was calm and the police now had the situation under control.

The agency said a forged letter calling for modifications to the area’s ethnic composition had started the fighting, which it said was limited to Ahvaz.

A local official said the letter was attributed to former vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi and dated from when he ran President Mohammad Khatami’s office.

But Mr Abtahi denied on his website that he was behind the letter, which reportedly said that “Arabs must emigrate, Arab names of towns and villages must become Persian (in Khuzestan)”. —AFP