
The ancestral home of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, was destroyed by protesters in Iran.
Social media images show a portion of the building in the city of Khomein being set on fire.
Regional authorities denied there had been an arson attack, despite news organisations verifying the videos’ location.
It is believed that Ayatollah Khomeini was born in the house, which is now a museum dedicated to his life.
The pro-Western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown by Khomeini’s Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, ushering in the theocratic regime that still rules the country today.
He served as the first supreme leader of Iran until his death in 1989, which is still marked by a day of mourning each year.
Social media videos from Khomein show dozens of people cheering as the fire breaks out. An activist network said the footage was taken on Thursday evening.
However, Khomein county’s press office denied there had been any attack to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The agency said a small number of people had gathered outside the house and later shared a video of the house, saying it was open to “pilgrims and lovers of the deceased Imam”.
“The doors of the house of the late founder of the great revolution are open to the public,” the agency added.
The fire at his ancestral house is one of the latest incidents in a wave of nationwide demonstrations directed at his successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his government.
The protests against Iran’s clerical establishment erupted two months ago after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police for allegedly breaking the strict hijab rules.
Five members of the security forces were killed in the latest unrest on Thursday, according to Iranian state media.
Meanwhile, funerals for young Iranians said to have been killed by security forces sparked fresh demonstrations on Friday.
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