At least 21 killed in bus and fuel tanker collision near Natanz

Reports indicate that during a collision between a bus and a fuel tanker near Natanz, at least "21 people" have been killed and at least 20 others injured. Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of the country's emergency services, stated that the bus collided with the tanker from behind and that the fire was extensive; the search for bodies is ongoing. Meanwhile, the Red Crescent rescue services reported that 47 people were affected in the bus accident on the Tehran-Kerman route with the fuel tanker, with 21 fatalities and 26 injuries. According to IRNA, the accident occurred at 23:14 on Tuesday, September 26, at kilometer 25 of the Kashan-Natanz road. It is said that this bus belonged to the Haft Cooperative and was en route from Tehran to Kerman. Following the collision, the bus overturned and caught fire in the opposite lane. IRNA reports that medical emergency teams, the Red Crescent, firefighters, and law enforcement are present at the scene and are securing the area while transferring the injured to local medical facilities. Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of fatalities from this incident. Earlier this year, in July, a fuel tanker collided with a passenger bus in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, resulting in at least 13 deaths. Iran is one of the most accident-prone countries in the world in terms of driving. According to a report published by the Central Insurance Research Institute of Iran, among 190 countries, Iran has the highest road mortality rate after the African country of Sierra Leone.