Fire or explosion near Tehran? Black smoke rising in Parand created panic, sound of explosion in Shiraz too – watch video

There was panic in Tehran province of Iran on Wednesday when black smoke was seen rising in the sky over a building in Parand city. A dense plume of smoke was clearly visible in the viral video on social media, after which initial reports raised the possibility of an explosion.

However, later the Iranian government broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) clarified the situation and said that the smoke had arisen due to the fire in the reeds growing on the banks of the river near the building. Despite this, the incident has raised many questions amid regional tensions.

Was there an explosion in Parand?

Initial online claims said there was an explosion at the scene. But according to the IRIB report, black smoke rose due to a fire in the reeds near the Parand river bank. State media quoted the Parand Fire Department as saying that ‘the black smoke visible near Parand city is the result of a fire in the reeds growing around the banks of the Parand river. Firefighters are present at the spot and the operation to extinguish the fire is going on. At present, there has been no official confirmation of any loss of life or major damage. Firemen reached the spot and were busy extinguishing the fire.

Why was the explosion heard in Shiraz?

Separate from the incident in Parand, an explosion was heard in a mountainous area outside the city in Shiraz province. The reasons for this explosion have not been revealed yet. It is noteworthy that in the last few weeks, there have been reports of many mysterious explosions around Tehran. However, Iranian officials have not confirmed the details of these incidents.

Are these incidents related to regional tension?

This development has come to light at a time when tension in the Middle East is at its peak. America has increased its military presence in the region amid ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and fears of a possible conflict. According to reports, the United States Department of Defense has deployed additional fighter aircraft, warships and air-defense systems. Open-source flight tracking data has revealed that several advanced fighter aircraft – such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon – are headed towards the Middle East.

According to American media platform Axios, if diplomacy fails, a military conflict between the US and Iran could begin within days and could become a widespread campaign lasting several weeks. A White House official told Axios that the probability of US military action in the coming weeks could be as high as 90 percent.

Will tensions increase further?

Fire near Tehran, sound of explosion in Shiraz and increasing military activities in the region – all these incidents have made the situation in West Asia more sensitive. At present, the Iranian administration has shared limited information in the cases of fire and explosion, but considering the regional situation, the eyes of the global community are now focused on the relations between Iran and America.