TEHRAN, Iran

Plumes of thick smoke were seen billowing into the sky over the Parand area, southwest of the Iranian capital Tehran, on Wednesday, with images quickly circulating online.

Officials in the city, which links Tehran to Markazi province, said the smoke was caused by a blaze in the dry reed beds along the banks of the Roudshur River in Parand.

State media quoted Vahid Joudaki, head of the Parand Fire Department, as saying that the presence of dry, highly inflammable vegetation in the area has frequently led to fires in the reed beds, mostly triggered by negligence or hunting activities in nearby forested areas.

He added that firefighters were promptly dispatched to the scene and operations were underway to fully contain the blaze.

Rahmatollah Paydar, Mayor of Parand, also confirmed the incident in remarks to the state-run news agency IRNA, saying that the fire is under control and extinguishing efforts are ongoing.

Parand is home to several important military installations as well as a power plant.

However, reports indicate that the fire did not occur near any of these facilities, and there is no evidence so far suggesting sabotage.

In recent months, similar fire incidents have been reported in multiple cities and provinces across Iran, giving rise to speculations.

Authorities have consistently denied any foreign involvement, attributing it to local factors such as negligence and insufficient safety precautions.