Defect in military system caused blast in northern city: Iran's defence ministry

Defect in military system caused blast in northern city: Iran's defence ministry
An explosion in a northern Iranian city seemed to be caused by a drone which 'malfunctioned', according to the defence ministry.
2 min read
18 September, 2023
An official from the province had earlier said the fallen object was a drone [Getty/archive]

A malfunction in a military system was the cause of a blast heard in the northern Iranian city of Gorgan, a spokesperson from Iran's Defence Ministry said on Monday.

"In the process of testing defence and drones systems in a desert region, one of these systems suffered a technical defect and deviated from its main path," the spokesperson said, adding debris fell in and around the city of Gorgan.

It was not immediately clear if the spokesperson was referring to a missile.

An official from the Golestan province's governorate had earlier said the fallen object was a drone and added two civilians were injured in the incident.

Iranian news media have shared footage of a burnt object lying in a street, with nearby shops having their windows smashed and cars sustaining damage.

Other videos showed loud bangs followed by debris falling in other parts of the city of Gorgan.

(Reuters)

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