Reports of explosions across Iran have surged since the conclusion of the war with Israel, and continued Monday morning as an apartment blast in the city of Qom left at least seven people injured. Simultaneously, incidents were also reported near the city of Karaj and in Tehran.
Iranian authorities were quick to label the Qom explosion a "gas leak." The provincial governor stressed that the incident was "not a terrorist act" and urged the public not to spread rumors. According to officials, the injured were taken to hospitals and were in stable condition. However, the explosion caused damage to several apartments and vehicles in the area.
Mohsen Moheimany, a commentator for the opposition outlet Iran International, said: "On the one hand, we're seeing continued explosions in residential buildings and other locations, and the authorities always explain it as a gas leak. But the repetitive nature of this explanation and the similarity between all these incidents is starting to raise doubts among the public, especially since most of these explosions have occurred after the war ended."
Iran has long suffered from major infrastructure problems and safety lapses well before the war. Serious incidents, like the deadly blast at Shahid Rajaee Port that killed dozens, were not uncommon. "Authorities say it's due to the heat and gas leaks. But precisely because these are happening now, right after the war, these explanations only increase public suspicion," Moheimany said.
He added: "Israel has openly said it hasn't finished and will continue operations inside Iran. It also reported having eliminated dozens of senior Iranian officials. Iranian officials are not providing details."
Following Israel's deep intelligence penetration in Iran, the end of the war triggered the regime's efforts to "purge its ranks." Hundreds have been arrested across the country, including minorities and even at random on Tehran's streets. Facilities allegedly linked to UAV production were exposed, and citizens were urged to report anything suspicious. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals residing in Iran have been deported.
