A powerful explosion rocked a residential building in the Pardisan neighborhood of Qom, Iran, on Monday, injuring seven people, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. Officials quickly clarified that the blast was not linked to any Israeli attack.
Initial assessments by Qom’s fire department pointed to a gas leak as the likely cause of the explosion. Four residential units were badly damaged in the incident. Emergency teams responded promptly, and follow-up investigations are currently underway.
The explosion led to widespread speculation, especially in light of recent tensions between Iran and Israel. However, Iranian officials urged the public not to believe rumors of foreign attacks, emphasizing that the building’s residents were ordinary civilians.
“People should not worry about the spread of false claims,” an unnamed Iranian source told Fars. “If a real hostile act happens, alarm systems and official announcements will make it immediately clear.”
Since last month’s 12-day air war between Iran and Israel, multiple unexplained explosions have occurred across Iran. Authorities, however, have not directly blamed Israel for any of them, focusing instead on internal causes.
Despite longstanding hostilities between Tehran and Tel Aviv, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is purely peaceful. Israeli officials, on the other hand, view it as a major security threat and have a history of targeting Iranian scientists.