‘I was hit in the face by pellets’: Iranians on border describe violence and more protests
Iranian citizens living near the country’s border with Afghanistan have reported incidents of violence involving security forces, leading to further protests in the region. The confrontations occurred on Tuesday in the town of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan province.
According to eyewitnesses, including several individuals who were injured during the clashes, security forces used pellet guns to disperse crowds protesting against the government. One resident recounted, “I was hit in the face by pellets. Many people were injured, and the situation was very chaotic.”
The Iranian government has claimed that the protests were instigated by “drug smugglers” attempting to cross the border from Afghanistan. Officials asserted that security forces were compelled to intervene to maintain order and prevent illegal activities. However, local residents have refuted these allegations, stating that the demonstrations were peaceful and driven by grievances over economic hardships and government neglect in the marginalized region.
The violence in Saravan has sparked anger among the local population, leading to renewed calls for accountability and justice. Protests have reportedly spread to other nearby areas, indicating a growing wave of dissent against the authorities.
The situation remains tense as security forces maintain a heavy presence in the region, while residents demand an independent investigation into the use of excessive force during the recent clashes.
Sources Analysis:
Eyewitnesses – Eyewitnesses have direct experience of the events but may have personal biases or limited perspective.
Iranian government – The Iranian government has a history of suppressing dissent and controlling information to maintain power.
Local residents – Local residents may have firsthand experience of the situation but could be influenced by personal opinions and community dynamics.
Fact Check:
Eyewitness account of being hit by pellets – Unconfirmed claim, as it is based on individual testimony.
Government claim of protesters being drug smugglers – Unverified statement, as it lacks independent verification.
Residents’ assertion of peaceful protests for economic grievances – Unconfirmed claim, as it is based on subjective interpretation of events.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “‘I was hit in the face by pellets’: Iranians on border describe violence and more protests”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.