Major Explosion Rocks Dairy Factory In Iran Amid Massive Protests

Last Updated:January 05, 2026, 21:29 IST

Videos emerged on social media showing a huge cloud of smoke rising from the dairy factory in Amol after an explosion at the site, amid ongoing protests.

Iran was rocked by a major explosion in the Amol city amid protests. (Photo: X)

Iran was rocked by a major explosion at a dairy products industry complex in the city of Amol on Monday, as the country is grappling with massive protests over economic stagnation and the sharp fall of the national currency.

Videos emerged on social media showing a huge cloud of smoke rising from the dairy factory in Amol on Monday. The area is known to be one of the largest dairy producers in Iran. The explosion and the fire triggered speculation over the ongoing protests.

However, the explosion seems accidental in nature. The mayor of Amol spoke to the Mazandaran Broadcasting Agency, claiming that a section of the factory was undergoing repair before sparks from a welding accident caused a fire, which spread across the facility, reported The Jerusalem Post.

The Iran Broadcasting Authority (IRIB) said the governor of the Mazandaran Province is coordinating with the Iranian Interior Ministry and relevant institutions to coordinate support arriving from neighbouring cities as the fire continues to blaze. The explosion is likely not linked to the protests, which have been occurring across Iran for the past nine days, as per several reports.

Massive Protests In Iran

Protests erupted in Tehran on December 28 when shopkeepers staged a strike over high prices and economic stagnation. They have since spread to other cities and expanded to include political demands. At least 20 people have been killed and 990 arrested since December 30 in localised clashes, including members of the security forces, according to official announcements.

The uprising was sparked by the collapse of the country’s currency and rising living costs. The protests have spread to at least 78 cities and 222 locations, with demonstrators calling for the end of the regime, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI).

The protests continued during the weekend despite a crackdown after the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed protesters as “rioters". The head of Iran’s judiciary also said on Monday that the government will offer no leniency to “rioters".

This came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran would “get hit very hard by the United States" if the authorities killed more demonstrators. Iran pushed back against these remarks, saying its internal security was a “red line". Khamenei said Iran “will not yield to the enemy".

Iran’s economy has been hit hard by tough international sanctions, with the national currency, the rial, losing more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year and inflation in double digits. sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme have been reimposed, and US-Israeli strikes in June further strained financial resources.

These demonstrations are the biggest Iran has witnessed since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody — after she was detained over the way she wore her hijab — triggered nationwide protests.

(with inputs from agencies)

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