Iran: Reports emerge of mild blasts near capital

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) - Several "low-intensity explosions" were reported near Iran's capital Tehran early on Friday followed by power outage in the area, according to locals.

The incident in Garmdareh, a small town on the western outskirts of Tehran, took place at around 12.30 a.m. (2000GMT) and the news was circulated widely on social media, including the Telegram channel of the state-run television network IRIB.

Garmdareh, a bustling residential township that houses many military garrisons, including the bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

A local resident of Garmdareh said he was awake and heard sounds similar to "anti-aircraft fire."

"But, it was not a huge, high-intensity explosion," he added.

Power outages also occurred in many parts of the town, which added to the locals' concerns, though authorities have refuted “rumors" of blasts in the area.

Leila Vaseqi, the governor of Shahre Qods county, which includes Garmdareh, said no explosions had taken place, though admitting that power outages had taken place in some areas.

Hussain Haqvardi, a lawmaker representing Shahre Qods, also rejected reports of an explosion in the city, saying the power outage was due to activities carried out by the electricity department.

Pictures have spread on social media following the reports of the alleged incident. However, local media showed them to be undated pictures of an explosion in Gaza following Israeli airstrikes.

Multiple incidents of fires have been reported in different parts of Iran in recent weeks, sparking wild speculation.

On June 26, an explosion was reported near the Parchin military site in northeast Tehran, which officials said was due to "a gas tank explosion." No casualties were reported.

Four days later, on June 30, a massive explosion damaged a clinic in north Tehran's Tajrish neighborhood, killing 19 people. Authorities said the incident was due to "gas leak."

This was followed by an incident at the Natanz nuclear facility, 155 miles south of Tehran in Isfahan province, on July 2, which damaged an "industrial shed" close to the main facility.

On July 4, a fire broke out at a power station in Ahwaz city in southwest Iran. The blaze affected an electricity transformer, which was swiftly put out by firefighters, officials said.

These strikingly similar incidents over past two weeks has triggered speculation in Iran as to their causes, with some blaming foreign countries.