Iran: Steel factory blast kills seven

According to Iranian media reports, an explosion at a steel factory has killed seven people including, foreign nationals. Iran's official news agency, Irna, reported that the blast in the city of Yazd was caused by discarded ammunition designated for scrap metal.

The blast occurred on Sunday 11th December. Irna reported that at least 12 other people were injured in the explosion. Speaking about the incident, the governor of Yazd Azizollah Seyfi said "several of those killed were foreign nationals".

Additionally, a local member of parliament Ali Akbar Oliaw, said there appeared to have been unexploded munitions in with the steel. He noted: "Among the scrap metal was ammunition which had not worked, and this caused the blast."

There has been a number of suspicious explosions in Iran this year at factories and military sites, which has prompted some to stipulate of the West's involvement in a bid to disrupt the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.

Despite several rounds of sanctions, Iran is determined to persevere with its nuclear activities and insists that it is not building a nuclear bomb.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, AFP

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