Death toll from Iran coal mine blast soars to 30

TEHRAN: A mine blast in eastern Iran has killed 30 people, state media said Sunday, revising an earlier toll of 19 dead.

"The number of people killed in the Tabas mine incident increased to 30," the official IRNA news agency reported, adding that "17 others were wounded" in the blast late Saturday.

The accident was caused by a methane gas explosion in two blocks of the mine run by the Madanjoo company, state TV said. There were 69 workers in the blocks at the time of the explosion, it said.

"Seventeen injured people were transported to the hospital and 24 people are still missing," state TV said citing the head of Iran's Red Crescent.

The explosion occurred at 9pm (1730 GMT) on Saturday, state media said.

President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to the victims' families. "I spoke with ministers and we will do our best to follow up," Pezeshkian said in televised comments.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.