5 killed, many injured in separate explosions in southern Iran; causes unclear

TEHRAN – 31 January 2026: At least five people were killed in two separate explosions in southern Iran on Saturday, Iranian media reported, with authorities saying investigations are ongoing.

In the port city of Bandar Abbas, at least one person was killed and 14 others were wounded in a blast, according to a local official cited by Iranian news agencies.

Officials did not immediately disclose what triggered the explosion.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency refuted claims circulating on social media that the incident targeted a naval commander from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

In a separate incident, four people were killed in a gas explosion in the city of Ahvaz, near the Iraqi border, state-run Tehran Times reported.

Two Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel had no involvement in either explosion.

The incidents occurred amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme and the Iranian government’s response to nationwide protests.