A methane leak caused a deadly explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, killing at least 30 people and injuring 17, according to state media reports. The explosion occurred late Saturday in the Tabas region, about 335 miles southeast of Tehran, while around 70 miners were working. Authorities believe 24 miners may still be trapped inside.
Emergency teams have been dispatched to the site, and efforts to rescue those trapped are ongoing. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was preparing for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, has ordered full support for the rescue mission and aid for the victims’ families. An investigation into the cause of the incident has also been launched.