Unusual blast in Iran; alliance with Syria considered

TEHRAN, Iran -- An explosion in a southern city prompted fears yesterday of a missile attack in an area where Iran has a nuclear facility, and Iranian authorities gave conflicting explanations for the blast -- including construction work and Iranian friendly fire in a military area.

News of the blast came as Iran and Syria, who both are facing pressure from the United States, said yesterday they will form a "united front" to confront possible threats against them, state-run television reported.

"In view of the special conditions faced by Syria, Iran will transfer its experience, especially concerning sanctions, to Syria," Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran's first vice president, was quoted as saying after meeting Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otari.

"At this sensitive point, the two countries require a united front due to numerous challenges."

Otari concurred, saying, "The challenges we face in Syria and Iran require us to be in one front to confront all the challenges imposed (on us) by others."

Interior Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani dismissed rumors of a hostile attack in connection with the explosion and noted that Iranian military aircraft routinely fly in the area.

U.S. and Israeli officials denied involvement with the blast, but it spiked oil prices and showed how jittery the world is that growing international pressure would lead to an attack on Iran.

The explosion near the southwestern port city of Deylam, about 110 miles from the Bushehr nuclear facility, was reported by Iranian state television, which said it may have been caused by a fuel tank dropping from an Iranian plane. A government spokesman said the blast may have been caused by friendly fire.

Later, a top security official said the blast was part of construction work on a dam.

The United States accuses Iran of having a secret program to make nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful energy purposes.

Iran has been on the defensive recently about the possibility of military action by either the United States or Israel.

Israel has warned that it may consider a pre-emptive strike against Iranian nuclear installations.

Earlier yesterday, Iranian Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi publicly confirmed for the first time that the United States has been flying surveillance drones over Iran's airspace to spy on its nuclear and military facilities.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned yesterday that Syria may be endangering U.S. forces by backing insurgents in Iraq, adding that Syrian-backed militant groups are "trying literally to blow up the process" of peacemaking between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it was unlikely that either of the two countries would prop up the anti-American insurgency in Iraq.

Alterman said, "neither country has an interest in seeing Iraq slide into complete chaos," especially Iran, which saw fellow Shiites register big wins in Iraqi elections last month.

"Their boys just won an election," Alterman said. "Are they really going to be going in there supporting an insurgency?"

This report includes information from The Associated Press and Cox News Service.