France investigates death of Iranian after 'suicide' to highlight Iran protest crackdown

French authorities are investigating the death of an Iranian man in the country who said he would kill himself to put further spotlight on the deadly protest crackdown in Iran.

Mohammad Moradi was found on Monday in the Rhone river flowing through the city of Lyon but could not be resuscitated by emergency services at the riverbank, police told AFP.

The 38-year -old warned his Instagram followers that he would drown himself to highlight the strife of Iranians following a deadly crackdown on nation-wide protests, which were triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.

"The police are attacking people, we have lost a lot of sons and daughters, we have to do something… I decided to commit suicide in the Rhone river. It is a challenge, to show that we, Iranian people, we are very tired of this situation " Moradi said in the video.

Lyon prosecutors said they had launched a probe to "verify the theory of suicide” following Moradi’s social media posts, as mourners placed candles on the riverside railings in memory of him.

Protests have gripped Iran for over three months, after 22-year-old Amini was jailed by morality police for wearing her hijab ‘improperly’. 

She was reportedly 'insulted and tortured', according to her cousin, and later died.

The police have denied allegations that she was beaten, instead claiming she died of 'heart failure'.

The Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said Tuesday 476 protesters have been killed in Iran during a deadly security crackdown on protests condemning the morality police and government.

At least 14,000 people have been arrested since the nationwide unrest began, the United Nations said last month, and at least 100 Iranians risk execution over the protests, in addition to two young men already executed, according to IHR.

Iran's top security body in early December gave a toll of more than 200 people killed, including security officers.