Large Explosion Rocks Iranian Oil Field Near Iraq Border, Leaving Multiple Dead

Iranian state media is reporting that a severe explosion has rocked an oil field in the western Ilam province which borders Iraq on Tuesday afternoon identified as the Cheshmeh Khosh field.

English language Mehr News cites “reports coming in saying that two people have been killed while another is injured” and featured a photo showing a massive fireball rising above the facility. Bloomberg subsequently cited local reports which updated to “Three oil workers killed and four injured in explosion on pipeline that transfers oil from the Cheshmeh Khosh field.”

It’s a relatively small field, with official sources estimating an average of 18,000 barrels per day of crude oil production capacity.

Iran’s oil producing regions have been known to experience occasional serious accidents and fires, but with the final rounds of nuclear negotiations happening in Vienna, and with Israel being behind past ‘sabotage’ incidents, naturally there remains the possibility of attack.

The new Tuesday incident comes after yesterday a large mysterious fire was reported outside Tehran.

“A large fire was reported at a warehouse or factory next to a highway near Tehran on Monday afternoon, with the purpose of the warehouse and the background of the incident as of yet unclear,” The Jerusalem Post reported.

I have received this image from someone who claims the photo is for today’s fire at Shahid Sani Khani (SSK), taken by the sender himself. (the image has not geolocation info & i am not in a position to verify its authenticity). pic.twitter.com/WSkEKDybha

— Farhad Rezaei (@Farhadrezaeii) July 5, 2021

“The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that the fire was near Karaj, the city where an alleged attack targeted a nuclear facility reportedly used to produce centrifuges.”

developing…