Police killed a man while trying to disperse a protest over water scarcity in the southern province of Fars, Irans state-run news agency said Thursday. IRNA quoted Col. Mohammad Ebadi Nejad, a local police chief in southern Iran, as saying police fired shots in the air after ordering a crowd to disperse. He said the man was shot in the neck and taken to a hospital, where he died. According to IRNA, the clashes began after authorities removed illegal water-pumps from a river. According to The Associated Press, protests have been held across southern Iran in recent weeks over water scarcity. Much of the country is suffering from drought, and in some areas tap water has turned muddy or salty. The water shortage has compounded Irans economic woes after the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord.