15-year-old footballer shot dead in central Iran protests


A 15-year-old footballer was killed by security forces during nationwide protests in the city of Isfahan, central Iran, people familiar with the matter told Iran International.
Pedram Khalouei, a teenage player in Sepahan’s development team — affiliated with Sepahan, one of Iran’s leading professional football clubs — was shot dead on the evening of January 9, at the Simin three-way junction in Isfahan, the sources said.
They said security forces fired live ammunition, striking him in the heart in front of his father.
Khalouei had been due to take part three weeks later in selection trials at Sepahan’s academy for a place in the club’s youth team, according to the sources.