LONDON (Reuters) - Fighting between rival tribesmen in southern Iran left 22 people dead on Friday night, an Iranian lawmaker was quoted by ILNA news agency as saying on Saturday.

“The incident last night in Ramhormoz county (in Khuzestan province) is rooted in an old tribal conflict,” the lawmaker, Hedayatollah Khademi, said.

“Unfortunately in last night’s clash, advanced military weapons were used and 22 people were killed,” he said.

Tribal fighting is common in southern Iran, where gun battles can break out, sometimes motivated by notions of traditional tribal justice.