TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Mishaps during an annual fire festival in Iran have left at least 10 people dead and hundreds more injured around the country, state TV reported Wednesday. State TV reported the casualties Wednesday but news outlets including the semiofficial ISNA said the deaths happened over a period of several weeks. Many of the deaths and injuries occurred during the production and preparation of firecrackers, according to reports. The annual festival begins on the Tuesday before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which will be celebrated on Saturday this year. Many people stayed at home because of the pandemic, which has hit Iran worse than any other country in the Middle East.

Source: Egypt Independent March 17, 2021 07:30 UTC