On Sunday, June 16, a tragic mine collapse occurred in Shazand, located in Iran’s Markazi Province, trapping four miners under the rubble. By Tuesday, reports confirmed that the bodies of two workers, a truck driver and a loader operator, had been recovered, while efforts to locate the remaining two workers continue.
According to the state-run ILNA news agency, rescue operations have been halted due to the high risk of further collapses. Trying to dampen potential unrest and social outrage, the regime’s Attorney General announced it has ordered an expedited investigation into the incident, adding that the mine owner was detained on the day of the collapse.
A report by the state-run Etemad’s report provides a grim overview of the safety failures endemic to Iran’s mining industry. The report highlights that from the start of the Iranian calendar year in late March until this recent collapse, seven mining accidents have occurred, resulting in eight deaths. This marks a significant increase from the same period last year, where three accidents were recorded, killing two workers.
Experts attribute the high rate of mining accidents in Iran to a pervasive disregard for safety protocols and proper mine design by contractors and operators, who prioritize cost savings over worker safety. “Neglecting these principles has become a norm in all open-pit and underground mines across Iran, as bypassing design and safety standards makes mining more profitable for contractors,” the report states.
#Iran News in Brief
An explosion in the Tazarah #coal mine in the northern part of Shahroud County, northern Semnan province, has caused a minimum of six deaths. Currently, there is no precise information available about the full extent of the casualties or the number of injured… pic.twitter.com/iIBIzZVvqN— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 4, 2023
Monday saw another collapse at the Shazand mine, further complicating rescue efforts. Video footage from the scene shows the dramatic moment of the secondary collapse, which prompted the evacuation of the search area.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society announced on Monday that rescue operations are ongoing, though fraught with difficulty. Past mining disasters in Iran have set a grim precedent. A notable incident on September 4, 2023, resulted in six deaths following an explosion at the Tazreh coal mine in Damghan. In May 2017, the collapse of the Zemestan-Yurt mine claimed 43 lives, sparking widespread public outrage.
Observers point to inadequate oversight and failure to enforce safety standards as key factors in these frequent mining disasters. Ali Ziaee, head of the Crime Scene Investigation Group of the National Medical Organization, reported that in the previous year, 2,115 workers died, and 27,000 were injured due to workplace accidents. This stark figure, as highlighted by ILNA, equates to nearly six worker deaths per day, underscoring the dire state of occupational safety in Iran.