A massive explosion struck Ferdowsi Square in central Tehran on Friday during the annual Quds Day demonstrations, coinciding with a wave of heavy US and Israeli airstrikes across the Iranian capital.
The blast, which occurred near Enghelab Street and Tehran University, followed urgent Israeli military evacuation warnings for specific Tehran neighborhoods, including Villa and Moniriyeh, ahead of planned strikes on Iranian military infrastructure.
As of Friday afternoon local time, rescue teams have rushed to the scene. The exact cause of the square’s explosion remains unconfirmed by Iranian state media, though it happened simultaneously with allied aerial bombardments in the surrounding areas.
Despite the strikes and the blast, thousands of demonstrators reportedly remained in the streets chanting against the United States and Israel.
The explosion marks the 14th day of the escalating US-Israel-Iran War, which officially intensified on February 28 following coordinated joint attacks on Iranian military sites. The conflict has caused severe regional destabilization, prompting a retaliatory 44th wave of missile strikes and drone operations across the Gulf region.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after the death of his father Ali Khamenei during the initial February strikes, recently issued public statements resolving to continue military operations and directly threatening US bases.
The ongoing bombardments have severely impacted Tehran’s civilian infrastructure. Tensions are further compounded by reports of sequential strike tactics in civilian-heavy areas of the capital, severely impacting first responders and ongoing rescue operations.