Four killed in Iran train derailment

AFP, TEHRAN — Four people were killed and 26 injured late on Friday when a train derailed in central Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The service from the southeastern city of Zahedan to the capital had 324 passengers on board, the news agency quoted the head of Iran’s Red Crescent rescue corps, Mahmoud Mozafar, as saying.

“A passenger train was derailed near the city of Yazd on Friday night. Unfortunately a passenger and three train crew were killed,” Mozafar said.

Derailments are rare in Iran but in 2004 a freight train carrying fuel and fertiliser derailed and exploded near the northeastern city of Neishabour, killing 289 people.