Leader Grieved at Death of Miners

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of coal miners in northeast Iran, calling for all measures to rescue those trapped underground. In a message on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei said the "tragic and disastrous mine incident in Golestan [Province] in which a number of hard-working workers have lost their lives and a number of other dear ones have been trapped, made me bereaved and grieving," Tasnim News Agency reported. Expressing condolences to the families of victims, the Leader urged authorities to "accelerate their efforts" to deal with the disaster. Twenty-two coal miners died in Zemestanyurt mine after a gas explosion and raging fire on Wednesday. Thirteen miners are still missing. The blast occurred at midday at a depth of 1,200 meters in the coal mine. Officials say the explosion occurred after a locomotive stalled at a depth of 700 meters and the workers tried to jumpstart the vehicle with an external battery. Electric sparks triggered the explosion in the tunnel filled with methane.