Free Republic

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - 0216iran An explosion was reported Wednesday in southern Iran near a nuclear power plant, with state-run media offering conflicting explanations for what happened, from blasting for dam construction, a fuel tank dropping from an Iranian plane, and friendly fire. The explosion came as Iran's intelligence chief accused the United States of flying spy drones over its nuclear sites and threatened to shoot down the aircraft. But a spokesman for Iran's Interior Ministry said the blast was heard minutes after an Iranian airplane flew over the southwestern port town of Deylam, about 110 miles north of the...

A "geophysical exploration" caused a large blast Wednesday near the southern port city of Dailam in Iran, a local official in the Bushehr province said. Oil exploration frequently takes place in the area, Iranian officials said. A reconnaissance team is en route to investigate, the official said. There are no reports of casualties. Initial reports from a Iranian state television included witnesses saying an airplane missile strike caused the blast. Later reports suggested a fuel tank falling from an airplane sparked the explosion. Officials said there is heavy air traffic in the area. Russia has been building a nuclear plant...

Iranian state TV reported Thursday afternoon that an unknown aircraft fired a missile in its Bushehr province, where Iran has its nuclear power plant. Israel quickly denied any involvement in the reported strike. Iran has complained in recent weeks that American surveillance aircrafts were penetrating Iranian airspace. Six weeks ago, Iran warned that it would fire on any aircraft that entered its airspace. "A powerful explosion was heard this morning on the outskirts of Dailam in the Bushehr province. Witnesses said that the missile was fired from an unknown plane 20 km from the city," Iran's Arabic language Al-Alam said....

Large blast heard near City of Dailam. Iran TV says fired from unknown aircraft. No other details.

DUBAI (Reuters) - A fuel tank falling from an Iranian plane could have caused an explosion in Iran's Bushehr province, where the country is building a nuclear power plant, Iran state television said on Wednesday. "A local source said the explosion could have been the result of the falling of an empty fuel tank from an Iranian plane," Al-Alam said. The Arabic-language channel also quoted other witnesses as saying that an unknown aircraft fired a missile on Wednesday in a deserted area near the southern city of Dailam, which is in Bushehr province.

A POWERFUL blast occurred near Iran's Gulf port of Daylam today and witnesses reported seeing a missile being fired from an unidentified plane, local television reported. The blast came at a time of high tensions between the US and Iran, which is under intense international pressure over its nuclear activities. Local officials have been dispatched to the site to identify the cause of the explosion in an uninhabited area in the south of the country, according to Arab-language television Al-Alam. A government source told the television the explosion could have been the result of a fuel tank falling from an...