2025 Isfahan explosion
On 29 April 2025, a gunpowder factory exploded in central Isfahan in the Meymeh district of Isfahan Province, Iran. The incident resulted in two fatalities and injuries to two others. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Background
Ava Nar Parsian Chemical Industries is a manufacturer of fireworks and industrial gunpowder, operating under the supervision of the Iran Supreme National Security Council. The company is known to produce over 50 types of explosives and has export ties to countries such as Iraq and Oman.Damoun Beheshtnejad was the Chairman of the Board at Ava Nar Parsian, the site of the recent explosion. He is also publicly associated with Nar Gostar Sepahan, another chemical manufacturer in Isfahan that was the site of a major explosion in 2021. At the time, The Guardian reported connections between Nar Gostar Sepahan and Iran’s drone development program, a matter of serious concern for Western and regional security analysts. Although Beheshntnejad's name has since been removed from the live version of the website, a cached version of Ava Nar Parsian's contact page still displays his name.