At least 30 people have been killed and 17 are injured after a methane leak sparked an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, state media reports.
Another 24 miners are believed to be trapped inside after the explosion struck a mine in Tabas, some 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran.
The state-run IRNA news agency said authorities had sent emergency personnel to the area.
Around 70 people had been working there at the time of the blast, which happened late Saturday.
It is not clear if any remain trapped inside.
Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said he ordered all efforts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families.
He also said an investigation into the incident had begun.
This is not the first disaster to strike Iran’s mining industry.
In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people, while in 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents.
Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas are often blamed for the fatalities.
Iran annually consumes some 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
