Tragedy struck in southwestern Iran's Khuzestan province when police shot and killed a young boy during a car chase. According to reports from Iranian authorities, the boy's father had stolen a vehicle and fled with the child inside. Law enforcement officials stated that they attempted to halt the stolen car by firing shots at it, resulting in the boy's immediate death. Police maintain that they issued several warnings to the driver before resorting to gunfire, citing the man's prior criminal history, which allegedly included car theft and drug trafficking.

Iranian news outlets identified the deceased child as 9-year-old Morteza Delf Zaregani. The boy's father, however, disputes the police account, claiming no warnings were given before officers opened fire. The incident has sparked public outcry and grief, with images of Morteza circulating on social media platforms. This tragic event follows another incident in November where a 9-year-old, Kian Pirfalak, was killed in a shooting during protests in Khuzestan. Pirfalak's mother attributed the boy's death to security forces. The incident occurred amidst widespread demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody.