World News

Nine People Die In Crash During Iran Holiday Season

 

Nine people were killed in a car crash in northeastern Iran on Thursday, the worst single accident since the start of the Persian new year holiday, state media reported.

Police say 585 people have died on the roads since the start of a holiday season that runs from 19 March to 1 April, and sees many Iranians travel to visit family.

The latest accident in Semnan province east of the capital Tehran saw two vehicles crash and catch fire, reported IRNA state news agency quoting the emergency services.

READ ALSO: Cyclone Gamane Kills 11 In Madagascar

IRNA reported that the death toll for the holiday season last year was 1,217.

The high number of deaths has been blamed on the poor condition of parts of the road network, careless driving and the low quality of the vehicles.

A police official in 2022 accused local car makers of delivering “unsafe” vehicles to the public while charging them the same price as foreign companies.

Several overseas car firms quit Iran in 2018 after the US reimposed sanctions over the country’s nuclear programme.

AFP

Emmanuel Egobiambu

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