At least three anti-government protesters have been killed in , officials say, as authorities tried to reopen the country's main port, which had been blocked by demonstrators for three days.
Security and medical officials said a protester was killed and eight more were wounded in Umm Qasr, a key oil terminal on the Persian Gulf.
The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, a semi-official agency, said two people were killed and 23 wounded in clashes in the southern city of Nasiriyah.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters, said security forces in Umm Qasr were firing live ammunition and tear gas, and that protesters seized an armoured vehicle.
An anti-government protester fires a slingshot. Source: AP
Iraq has seen massive anti-government demonstrations in Baghdad and across the mostly Shi'ite south since October 25.
The protests are calling for an overhaul of the political system established after the 2003 US-led invasion, accusing the government and major political parties of corruption and incompetence.
Security forces have killed at least 267 protesters since early October during two major waves of protests. In southern Iraq, protesters have ransacked and torched the offices of political parties linked to Iran, and on Sunday night they attacked the Iranian Consulate in the Shi'ite holy city of Karbala.
In Baghdad, protesters crossed a bridge over the Tigris River on Monday and clashed with security forces near the headquarters of state-run TV and the prime minister's office.
Umm Qasr is a key oil terminal on the Persian Gulf. Source: AP
At least five protesters and a member of the security forces were killed and scores were wounded. The protesters set tyres and dumpsters ablaze within 500 metres of the prime minister's office, sending huge clouds of black smoke into the sky.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has expressed support for the protesters' demands and condemned violence on all sides while resisting calls to step down. He has called on the protesters to reopen roads so that life can return to normal, saying the disruptions caused by the protests are costing the country billions of dollars.
He met with senior judicial and security officials at the Federal Police Headquarters late on Monday to discuss ways to restore stability while preserving the right to protest and protecting private property, according to a government statement.
Iraq holds regular elections, but its politics are dominated by Shi'ite Islamist parties, many with close ties to Iran. The protesters, who mainly come from the Shi'ite majority, say their leaders have enriched themselves while letting the economy and infrastructure crumble.
They complain of high unemployment and poor public services. Despite Iraq having the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, Baghdad and other cities still suffer frequent power cuts and the tap water in many areas is undrinkable.
