An explosion rocked central Tehran during Quds Day rallies, sending panicked crowds fleeing and prompting a swift security response, witnesses and footage circulated online showed. Videos from the scene captured smoke and people running as emergency services moved through the area; ambulances were seen transporting injured participants, though independent confirmation of casualties and the full scale of damage was not immediately available.
Iranian officials issued limited statements, saying authorities were investigating the incident. State media coverage initially provided sparse details; local reporting indicated security forces had cordoned off parts of the area and were questioning witnesses. The cause of the blast — whether accidental, the result of a detonation device, or related to other factors — remained unclear as investigations continued.
Quds Day, marked annually on the last Friday of Ramadan, draws large demonstrations in Tehran and elsewhere to express solidarity with Palestinians. Rallies are typically tightly policed and politically sensitive, and any violence at such events risks heightening regional tensions. International outlets and foreign missions called for calm and urged that an impartial inquiry determine what happened. Authorities said updates would follow as more information became available.