by Seth J. Frantzman
Iranian authorities in Lorestan in western Iran deny that an earthquake happened and deny rumors of explosions linked to a military center.
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A mysterious explosion, characterized as a “terrible sound followed by strong shocks” by Iranian pro-regime media, struck an area near Khorramabad on Tuesday night.
It caused “fear and concern” as residents believed an earthquake had struck.
Following the huge sound heard last night in parts of #Iran's city of #Khorramabad, the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Tehran has said that the tremors felt in the city last night were due to an earthquake registering a magnitude of 2 on the Richter scale. pic.twitter.com/htVbU5JJdq
— Iran Nuances (@IranNuances) September 26, 2023
According to Tasnim, “after a terrible sound was heard at midnight last night, some opposition media and others announced that a terrible explosion had occurred in one of Lorestan's military centers.”
Iranians 'rushed to the streets' in fear
However, Iranian media quickly noted that there had not been an earthquake. Tasnim News even consulted earthquake experts at Tehran University to see if the sound was caused by a tremor. Nevertheless, people reported “strong shocks” from what may have been an explosion underground. People “rushed to the streets” due to fear, Tasnim said.
There is an Iranian missile base near Khorramabad in Iran’s Lorestan province, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative website. The Imam Ali Missile Base is “one of two Iranian silo missile bases.” The NTI report says that former Iranian President Khatami reportedly “ordered the production of 15 Shahab-3 missiles, to be deployed in underground bunkers near Khorramabad.
”The complex is “heavily guarded,” the report says. “One of them a storage facility and the second an operational missile launch facility.”
Iran denies 'false news' over missile-related blast
The Center for Strategic and International Studies also notes that the “7th Al-Hadid Missile Brigade equipped with Shahab-1 and -2 (Scuds B and C) missiles, [is] based in the Karaj area; and controls the Imam Ali Missile Site in Khorramabad, western Iran..” It also notes that the 23rd Towhid Missile Brigade is based at Khorramabad.
Iranian media quoted the officials in Lorestan. The authorities expressed concern about “false news and speculation” indicating that this may be a security and political issue. “We request the people of Lorestan not to pay attention to rumors and to receive news only from official authorities and media,” the authorities said.
Jason Brodsky, Policy Director at United Against a Nuclear Iran noted that “there have been mysterious explosions at Imam Ali Base before in Iran,” in a post on social media. He referenced an incident back in 2010 and other incidents.
Seth J. Frantzman
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-760482
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