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| Iran explosion at Revolutionary Guards military base | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Fifteen soldiers have been killed in a huge explosion at a military base near Iran's capital of Tehran, officials say. | |
| The blast occurred when weapons were being moved inside a Revolutionary Guards depot, a spokesman for the elite unit told state TV. | |
| Windows in nearby buildings were shattered and the blast was heard in central Tehran, 40 km (25 miles) away. | |
| A helicopter and ambulances have reportedly been sent to the scene. | A helicopter and ambulances have reportedly been sent to the scene. |
| Local MP Hossein Garousi said "a large part of an ammunition depot exploded," parliament's website reported. | Local MP Hossein Garousi said "a large part of an ammunition depot exploded," parliament's website reported. |
| The Revolutionary Guards spokesman did not say what caused the blast in the village of Bidganeh, near the city of Karaj. | |
| "Some of the casualties are reported to be in a critical condition," he said. | |
| Karaj resident Kaveer told the BBC's Newshour programme that the sound was "deafening". | Karaj resident Kaveer told the BBC's Newshour programme that the sound was "deafening". |
| "We were kind of shocked. I just ran out of the house and looked around," he said. | "We were kind of shocked. I just ran out of the house and looked around," he said. |
| Economic force | Economic force |
| An elite military force, the Revolutionary Guard was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system. | An elite military force, the Revolutionary Guard was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system. |
| It has since become a major military, political and economic force in Iran. | It has since become a major military, political and economic force in Iran. |
| The Revolutionary Guard has been targeted by UN sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran to halt uranium enrichment. | The Revolutionary Guard has been targeted by UN sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran to halt uranium enrichment. |
| There have been occasional unexplained explosions in Iran before. | There have been occasional unexplained explosions in Iran before. |
| Eighteen people were killed in a blast at a Revolutionary Guards base in the north-western Lorestan province in October 2010. | Eighteen people were killed in a blast at a Revolutionary Guards base in the north-western Lorestan province in October 2010. |
| The latest blast comes at a time of heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions. | The latest blast comes at a time of heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions. |
| The UN's nuclear watchdog the IAEA released a report on Tuesday which, correspondents say, prompted new fears that Iran's nuclear programme has a military objective. | The UN's nuclear watchdog the IAEA released a report on Tuesday which, correspondents say, prompted new fears that Iran's nuclear programme has a military objective. |
| There has also been speculation in Israel's media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering ordering strikes against Iran's nuclear sites, in the hope of stalling or ending its programme. | There has also been speculation in Israel's media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering ordering strikes against Iran's nuclear sites, in the hope of stalling or ending its programme. |
| Iran says its nuclear programme has purely civilian aims. | Iran says its nuclear programme has purely civilian aims. |