The government newspaper Iran said the unrest occurred late Tuesday, when "troublemakers" used the transfer of the hospital as a "pretext" to attack the local prefecture.
After the rioting, the town was reported to be "virtually dead". "Troublemakers smashed the windows of the town hall before looting. They set fire to several public vehicles and then attacked the town hall, customs office and other public buildings," the report said.
Interior ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani told AFP that several arrests were made and a number of rioters were injured, but could not give precise figures.