Massive fuel tanker blast in Iran kills 11

Tehran: At least 11 people were killed and seven others injured after a fuel tanker exploded in western Iran on Saturday, triggering a massive blaze that engulfed several vehicles on a major road linking the Kurdistan and Hamadan provinces.

According to Iran’s IRIB, the tanker collided with several other vehicles while travelling along the road before exploding. The resulting fire quickly spread to multiple vehicles, causing further casualties and turning the busy route into the scene of a deadly disaster.

The injured victims were taken to medical centres in Sanandaj for treatment. Rescue and relief operations were underway at the accident site as authorities worked to clear the area and assist those affected.

Initial findings point to a failure in the tanker’s braking system as the likely cause of the crash. The incident has added to a series of alarming reports involving oil and fuel tankers in Iran amid heightened security concerns across the region.

Earlier on Saturday, reports emerged of a missile attack on an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island while it was engaged in an oil unloading operation. The incident came after the United States Central Command accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of launching ballistic missiles at two US Navy vessels.

The latest tanker explosion also comes after a similar incident in July, when an oil tanker exploded after reportedly striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.

With tensions and maritime security threats continuing across West Asia, security measures have been tightened in several parts of the region.