Beirut , Lebanon ( CNN ) -- A protest outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut turned deadly Sunday , the leader of a Lebanese political party said . Ahmed Assad , who heads the Option party -- which opposes Hezbollah and the Syrian government -- told reporters one man from his group was shot in the stomach and died . `` They killed him to silence his freedom of speech , '' he said . Members of the group were protesting what they called Iranian intervention in Syria when some of its members were attacked , a spokesman said . He said two other people were hurt . The National News Agency reported demonstrators were confronted by `` some young men in the area . '' U.N. : Nearly half of Syria 's populace will need aid . The neighborhood is a primarily pro-Hezbollah area . CNN staffers saw a heavy presence of Lebanese security forces outside the embassy . Soldiers had cleared the area and media members were being kept away from the scene . Syrian dissidents have said Hezbollah , the powerful Lebanese Shiite militia backed by Iran and the Syrian government , has sent fighters to the conflict . Hezbollah recently teamed with government forces during a pitched battle for the Syrian town of the border city of Qusayr , members of the Syrian opposition said . The Lebanese government has remained officially neutral in the conflict -- even as it has firmly , but quietly , supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad . Syria 's embattled Qusayr off-limits to aid workers .
Option party head says member was killed outside Iranian embassy . State media says local men confronted the demonstrators . Hezbollah is supported by Iran , Syria . Lebanese government has quietly backed government in Syrian civil war .