Five people have died in two separate explosions in Iran, with local officials attributing both blasts to gas leaks. The incidents occurred in the southern cities of Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz, authorities and state media reported.
In Bandar Abbas, a residential building on Moallem Boulevard was rocked by an explosion that destroyed two floors, damaged several vehicles, and affected nearby shops. One person was killed and 14 others injured, according to Mehr news agency. Mohammad Amin Liaqat, chief of the local fire department, said a preliminary assessment indicated the blast was caused by a gas leak and accumulation. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, and authorities continue to investigate the scene. Social media speculation that a Revolutionary Guards navy commander had been targeted was dismissed by Tasnim news agency.
In Ahvaz, a separate explosion in the Kianshahr neighbourhood killed four people. Emergency crews rescued a child trapped under debris and transferred him for medical care, the Tehran Times reported. Both cities are located in southern Iran, with Ahvaz near the Iraqi border.
The incidents come as tensions in the Gulf region remain high. US President Donald Trump said Saturday night, while traveling to Florida, that Iran was engaging in serious discussions with Washington, but he did not provide details on the administration’s level of contact or specific plans. “We’ll see if we can do something, otherwise we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters, noting the US had deployed “very big powerful ships” to the region. Trump reiterated that time was “running out” for Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear programme and warned that the country must stop killing protesters to avoid military action.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that conflict would not serve either country or the wider region. Speaking with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, he said Iran “has never sought and in no way seeks war,” according to AFP. Separately, Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, met with Qatar’s prime minister in Tehran to discuss regional de-escalation efforts. Larijani also recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and posted on X that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” contradicting media reports of a media-driven “war hype.”
Iranian Foreign Minister has said Tehran is open to negotiations with the US, provided discussions are based on trust and respect, while cautioning that its missile defence system will not be a subject of negotiation.
The explosions occur against a backdrop of ongoing domestic unrest in Iran. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports more than 6,300 people have been killed since demonstrations began in late December, with an additional 17,000 reported deaths under investigation.
The twin blasts, along with mounting international pressure and regional military deployments, underscore the fragility of security in southern Iran and highlight the intersection of domestic incidents with broader geopolitical tensions.
