Vice President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Mohammadreza Bahraman has complained about improper safety conditions of coal mines.
His comments came a day after a deadly mine blast in northeastern Iran.
Extending condolences over the deaths caused by the explosion in northeastern Iran, Bahraman, who also chairs Iran’s Mine House, said that since 2017, he and his colleagues at the Mine House had warned about the improper safety conditions of the coal mines.
A Saturday night explosion in Madanjou coal mine killed at least 34 workers and injured 17 others, officials said Sunday, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country’s history as others remained missing hours after the blast. Authorities blamed the explosion on a leak of methane gas.
Noting that the safety of Iranian coal mine workers is currently at its worst, the vice president of Iran Chamber of Commerce said that the mines are operating with the least efficiency which causes a waste of time and energy of the expert workforce.
He added that the negligence of safety considerations could lead to similar mining incidents in the future.
Bahraman also referred to the impact of anti-Iran sanctions which are hindering investments in the equipping the Iranian mines with modern technologies.
