Free Republic

TEHRAN: A massive explosion at a military arms depot near the Iranian capital Tehran killed 27 elite Revolutionary Guards on Saturday and wounded 16 others, state broadcaster IRIB said. Officials said it was an accident which happened as troops were moving ammunition at a base in Bidganeh, near the town of Shahriar, some 45 km (28 miles) west of Tehran. While there was no indication of any attack, the explosion shook homes and rattled windows for miles around at a time of mounting tensions with Israel over Iran's nuclear programme. "So far, 27 personnel of Revolutionary Guards have been martyred...

TEHRAN — An explosion at a Revolutionary Guard Corps weapons depot near the Iranian capital killed 17 soldiers Saturday, Iranian state TV reported a Guard spokesman as saying. Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif told the semi-official Fars news agency that an earlier announcement putting the death toll at 27 had been readjusted following the discovery of a “misprint.” Firemen from several cities rushed to the scene to control a raging fire ignited by the explosion, which was felt by many people in Tehran, 30 miles to the east. Witnesses reported a thick black column of smoke rising from the site. ......