Bombs hit government targets in Iran oil town

Reuters: At least three bombs exploded in the southwestern Iranian oil town of Ahvaz on Sunday, killing three people, an Interior Ministry spokesman said. The semi-official Fars news agency said five people had been killed and 25 wounded in the blasts at about 9 a.m. (4:30 a.m. British time). State television put the number of wounded at 30, but did not say how many had been killed. Reuters

TEHRAN – At least three bombs exploded in the southwestern Iranian oil town of Ahvaz on Sunday, killing three people, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.

The semi-official Fars news agency said five people had been killed and 25 wounded in the blasts at about 9 a.m. (4:30 a.m. British time).

State television put the number of wounded at 30, but did not say how many had been killed.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the coordinated attacks, which occurred just five days before Iran holds presidential elections.

A local journalist said four bombs had gone off near government buildings, including the governor’s office, in the town, 550 km (340 miles) southwest of Tehran.

He listed the other targets as the housing and urban planning department, the management and planning department and a housing complex for state media employees.

Five people were killed in ethnic unrest in April in the partly Arabic-speaking province of Khuzestan, of which Ahvaz is the capital. Three hundred people were arrested.