Five people have been killed in two separate explosions in Iran which local officials and state media say were caused by gas leaks.
One person was killed and 14 injured in a blast at a residential building in the southern city of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf coast, a local official told Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.
Another explosion killed four people in the south-western city of Ahvaz, the state-run Tehran Times reported.
In the port city of Bandar Abbas, state TV reported that the explosion had ripped through an eight-floor building, destroying two floors, several vehicles, and shops in the Moallem Boulevard area.
The local fire department chief, Mohammad Amin Liaqat, said a preliminary assessment showed it had been caused by a gas leak and buildup. My colleagues will give more details in the next few hours, he stated in a video published by Mehr.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, a regional official, confirmed that the injured had been taken to hospital. Meanwhile, the semi-official news agency Tasnim denied social media reports that a Revolutionary Guards navy commander had been targeted in the blast.
Another explosion at a residential building in the Kianshahr neighborhood of Ahvaz, near the border with Iraq, was also reported. Emergency officials rescued a child trapped beneath debris and transferred him for medical treatment.
The situation comes amid continued regional tensions following a buildup of US forces in the Gulf and pressures on Tehran regarding its nuclear program.
Trump stated that time was running out for Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear program, emphasizing a need for compliance to avoid military confrontation.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and has repeatedly denied accusations it seeks to develop nuclear weaponry.
