Conflicting reports have been circulated regarding alleged explosions in several Iranian cities.
Modern.az reports that Agha Ali Khani, the governor of Iran's Rabat-Karim province, has denied reports of an explosion in Parand, a city located southwest of Tehran.
According to him, the smoke observed in Parand and Rabat-Karim was related to a fire that occurred in dried reeds around the Shur River. The governor cited the carelessness of hunters or passers-by as the probable cause of the fire and stated that the incident was brought under control by fire services.
Previously, Iran's Emergency Organization rejected reports of explosions in Tabriz, calling them “fake news”.
On the other hand, two Israeli officials told "Reuters" that Israel was not involved in the alleged explosions that occurred in several Iranian cities on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Telegram channels claimed that at least four powerful explosions occurred on January 31 in the Iranian cities of Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Qasr-e Shirin, and Abadan. The reports emphasized that the mentioned cities either have strategic importance, host naval bases, or are located in areas close to the Iraqi border. Unconfirmed claims about the killing of a commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (SEPAH) in Bandar Abbas were also circulated on social networks.
The circulated images reflected the intensity of the alleged explosion in Bandar Abbas and the extent of the damage it caused. It was stated that an investigation into the causes of the incident had begun, and the exact number of dead and injured would be announced later. A video of the alleged explosion in a residential building in Bandar Abbas was also shared on social networks.
Iran's "Tasnim" Agency currently reports that one person has died. It is noted that all residents of the damaged building have been evacuated. At the same time, reports of an explosion in the city of Parand have also been circulated.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (SEPAH) responded to the reports by stating that no attack using unmanned aerial vehicles had occurred against naval facilities in Hormozgan province, particularly in the city of Bandar Abbas.
