Rescuers are continuing to dig through the debris of a building that collapsed in south-western Iran, killing at least 14 people, with many more feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Authorities declared a one-day mourning period on Wednesday, while Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi urged the local authorities to establish what happened.
The 10-storey under-construction Metropol building in Abadan, capital of Khuzestan province, collapsed at about 12:40pm local time on Monday.
Located on the busy Amir Kabir Street, the project featured two towers – one already built and the other under construction. Lower commercial floors had been completed and tenants had already moved in.
On Tuesday, an emergency official told state TV that about 50 people may have been inside the building at the time of the collapse.
It was not made clear whether that figure included those already pulled from the rubble. Officials said earlier that at least 39 people were injured.
State TV, quoting Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, late on Tuesday night, reported that at least 14 people had been killed.
Initially, authorities said the building’s owner and its general contractor were arrested over the incident.
However, a later report from the judiciary’s Mizan news agency on Tuesday showed that the two men were killed in the collapse. Neither report could be confirmed.
An angry crowd at the site chased and beat Abadan city Mayor Hossein Hamidpour after the collapse, the semi-official Ilna news agency reported. Videos online also showed the incident.
Police later arrested Mr Hamidpour and nine others, Iranian media reported on Tuesday.
The authorities offered no immediate comment on whether those detained faced charges and it was not immediately clear if lawyers represented them.
Iran’s vice president in charge of economic affairs, Mohsen Razaei, and Mr Vahidi visited the site.
A parliamentary inquiry was opened on Tuesday to determine why the building collapsed during a sandstorm.
Later on Tuesday, the state-run Irna news agency quoted Faramarz Zoghi, a construction expert and adviser to the industry, as saying that “definitely national construction measures were not observed” at the site.
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What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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