“Powerful Enough To Be Spotted From Space”: Fuel Tanker Convoy Explodes At Afghan-Iran Border

Originally appeared at ZeroHedge

A fuel tanker truck explosion on the Iran-Afghanistan border on Saturday caused a chain reaction of blasts so large it could be observed from space.

According to the Associated Press, “Two explosions at the border crossing were powerful enough to be spotted from space by NASA satellites. One blast erupted around 1:10 p.m. Afghan time (0840 GMT), the next around a half hour later at 1:42 p.m. local (0912 GMT).”

Iranian state TV is reporting that over 500 trucks transporting natural gas and fuel caught fire as the explosions intensified.

The blaze continued through the day at the Islam Qala border crossing, which is among the busiest border and commercial transit routes connecting Iran and Afghanistan.

While multiple injured have been rushed to the hospital, emergency workers have struggled to assess casualties given the blaze’s intensity made the whole area difficult to access.

"Powerful Enough To Be Spotted From Space": Fuel Tanker Convoy Explodes At Afghan-Iran Border
Saturday’s huge blast on the border, via IRNA

It’s as yet unclear whether the fuel convoy was subject to attack, or if the fire ignited accidentally.

The AP notes, however, that “The road between the city of Herat and Islam Qala is a dangerous stretch of highway that Afghans rarely travel at night for fear of attacks by criminal gangs. Taliban insurgents also travel freely in the area.”

And further, AP explained, “The United States allows Afghanistan to import fuel and oil from Iran as part of a special concession that exempts Kabul from sanctions against Iran. Satellite photos taken Saturday showed dozens of tankers parked at the border crossing before the explosion.”

Currently, the Iranian Army has been called upon to join emergency crews attempting to put out the blaze, which reportedly also destroyed buildings at the border crossing

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
80 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Phoron

Smells like gefilte fish

Jens Holm

Thats how it is. Even muslims like the rest of us smell like pigs, when they burn.

Hasbara Hunter

When you Burn you’ll smell Sulfur boy…cuz Lucifer is waiting for you….

Jens Holm

Haha. Maybee Lucifer wont take me.

Hasbara Hunter

Yay….this is the first time that I hear you say something that might be close to the Truth…

Ashok Varma

The Afghans have had war and misery for over 40 years now and Iran and India are trying to bring some relief to the plight of the poor people, however, US and Pakistan are playing the usual spoiler role by bringing in and supporting the worst extremist Salafist terrorists from Syria. Indian Foreign Minister was in Tehran last week and provided Iran with evidence of ISI support for terrorists.

Icarus Tanović

They will never get out of there if not chased.

Frank

Frankly, the only way the US will leave the region is by an armed resistance and costly casualties.

Ashok Varma

Iran needs to start paying more security attention to its eastern lawless borders that are now CIA training grounds for Wahhabi terrorists. The BLA needs to be supported and armed by all major players, including Russia.

Condor

Iran will need a more robust military presence in the east the deadbroke basketcase of Pakistan as Kissinger called it in 1971 is falling apart and there are over 220 million Hungary and starving Wahhabi terrorist Pakistanis who will need to be fenced in.

tom

Always remembering that a single US death is equivalent to several thousand furriners.

Condor

Iran could make or break the US war in Afghanistan

Iran exerts considerable economic and political influence in Afghanistan and

its cooperation is essential if the US wishes to end a 16-year war. A hostile Iran which has a strong linguistic, cultural and religious influence on Afghanistan, especially in the Tajik and Hazara majority areas held by the Northern Alliance, Iran could make like a living hell for US occupation forces.

Persian imperial dynasties once ruled large parts of it, including the
major western city of Herat. About 15 percent of Afghans adhere to Shia
Islam, the majority faith of Iran, while Dari, one of Afghanistan’s main
languages, is a dialect of Persian.

The Objective

It’s a retaliation for Iran’s attack on U.S convoys in Iraq.

Ashok Varma

Don’t think so, the Pakis are upset as they are losing Baluchistan and the Afghan government is supporting the BLA which is targeting Chinese assets and Paki military in occupied Baluchistan. The explosion was intended to hurt the Afghan government which has excellent ties with Iran and India. Afghanistan benefits much more than India from the Chah Bahar super port as 90% of its trade goes through it. The explosion was on the Afghan side, even though the resourceful Iranians quickly put out the fire and helicoptered the victims to their hospitals.

The Objective

The Taliban just held high-level talks with Iran’s leaders, not more than a week ago. Are you saying they sabotaged Iran despite negotiating to cooperate against the U.S? Not likely.
These attacks are happening just after U.S military convoys come under attack in Iraq.

Condor

That is very naive as US has to pay for this fuel. The only other route is the expensive and corrupt Pakistani route via Karachi.

The Objective

Two questions for you:
Who replaces the burnt trucks? Which country owns them?
How does the U.S pay for Afghanistan’s oil from Iran? Please explain.

Condor

Pakistan is a failed lawless terrorist state and China has wasted billions on Gwader and there is still no security as the Baluch are fighting a full scale liberation war, so Chah Bahar is now the primary trade gate to Central Asia and Afghanistan. Just recently the presidents of the three friendly states met in Tehran. The CIA and Pakistan are doing their utmost to destabilize Afghanistan and to keep the war and US occupation going.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8a2cdd5b241f9bc546b24cf20e0094da052fb6d304a8dcab76475191afb29d9c.jpg

Frank

Frankly, HELLO, this is not a very big deal, the Iranians have it in control and have just put the fires out on the Afghan side and taken the 10 wounded to Iranian hospitals in Birjand. Two tankers were destroyed and a customs building was burnt. Luckily, no Iranian casualties.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fe9b01a6b6db3bb5cd02e296b20394358360062509a7a42d0e9dc06a53e8b16e.jpg

Jens Holm

Thats the Iranien version of the Silkroad.

Hadi Heidary

afghanistan is ocuppied by the US for 20 year now! its being run by NATO which means your stpid ass can’t provide security!
we on the other hand ofcourse have sent all the help they need for this incident the moment they called

Ashok Varma

The Pakis and US are trying to totally destabilize Afghanistan by bringing in Salafist terrorists from Arab countries to fight the growing Baluch freedom struggle against the murderous Paki army and also weaken the Iranian, Indian and Russian supported Northern Alliance of the late Ahmad Shah Mosaoud.

Free man

Strategic blow to Iran’s oil / gas exports.

Dick Von Dast'Ard

Iranian exports of product have increased markedly despite U.S. sanctions.
This is simply causing hardship to Kabul, a govt the Iranians helped the U.S. install post the bombing of the Taliban out of power from Kabul in 2001.

Ashok Varma

Chah Bahar is becoming the largest port in the region and India’s gateway to the riches of Central Asia.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c1334308129c32ff1afe0211245130ae8f265e23129a2e1f33063b1d997fb455.jpg

Icarus Tanović

So, basically since Brzezinski turned Pakistan into a Wahhabi shit hole, there’s other way around?
That right.

Ashok Varma

Yes, Pakistan is a British created shithole like Israel and was created to sow mayhem in the region.

Icarus Tanović

It wasn’t always this bad. Ali Jinnah wasn’t this stupid. I just don’t believe this how this paki freaks are stupid.

Ashok Varma

Jinnah was not even a Muslim, but a corrupt British agent. The devious British did not want a united India so they created this cancer, just like Zionists in Palestine.

Icarus Tanović

So he was something like a Wahhabi prick or such.

Frank

Frankly, Jinnah was a British created asset and could not even speak the Pakistani national language of Urdu and ate pork, drank whisky and chain smoked and was killed and left to die on the street after the British used him. Like all traitors he died on the streets like a dog.

Condor

I visited Chah Bahar in the 70’s when it was just a small fishing village, but the US MAAG team acknowledged its strategic location and deep blue sea natural harbor. The Iranians were building one of their most modern completely underground airbase in the hills surrounding the port. Only the three U shaped runways were visible to the eye. I understand that now they have based F-14A and SU-30 at their Chah Bahar base for long range missions over the Indian Ocean.

verner

when the disunited states of exceptional assh-les, washington dc, reintroduced the sanction regime on Iran they excepted the Chabahar Port since that was the main port for the delusional idiots in washington dc to bring their stuff to Afghanistan. for some reason I think it was accepted by teheran and so it goes. economic necessities trumps real politics.

Just Me

No you moron. The US taxpayers will be slugged more.

Ashok Varma

The poor chap is burning with anti-Iran blind hatred and is always wrong on every count. Iran is lucky to have got rid of such treacherous MEK losers who can only went frustrations on the internet.

Icarus Tanović

Who cares, my man?

Frank

Frankly, I don’t a give a flying fuck with trolls.

Condor

Good policy Frank. Deprive the troll of attention and they die.

Condor

He is quite a peculiar one dimensional sort of a troll suffering deep trauma over Iranian revolution. His whole narrative is based on deceit and lies. Not a very effective troll to be struck down every day.

Icarus Tanović

Don’t bother your self, man.

Just Me

It is just to bring some logic to these illiterate moron trolls.

Condor

Oil and gas is generally exported by pipelines. These are gasoline tankers supplying refined POL to energy dependent Afghanistan. Iran is one of largest gasoline refining nations on the planet with very high quality low sulfur products.

Adam Prisbit

IDF or US Airforce F-35 doing good work! Not a single radar detect it

Dick Von Dast'Ard

What, killing innocent people over some kind of sick blood lust?

Just Me

No air defence works against sabotage. The US is now totally supporting Wahhabi extremists who are even more extreme than the ISI/Paki Taliban. These oil supplies go to the Iranian supported Northern Alliance and Herat is an old Iranian town. So the US as usual is supporting mayhem so that it can keep Afghanistan in turmoil and prolong the occupation. The only losers are the moderate Afghans who want an end to the conflict and occupation.

The Objective

They are retaliating for Iran’s attack on U.S convoys in Iraq. If you think I’m lying, wait and see the attacks on U.S convoys suddenly stop.

Frank

How is a air defence going to work against saboteurs with a match?

Just Me

No you dumb idiot, it is the alCIAda causing havoc as Iranian oil is keeping Afghanistan from total collapse. Now the US taxpayers will have to foot the bill for more expensive imports from Pakistan, another beggar like the Zionists. Think hard before trolling nonsense.

Icarus Tanović

What I want to tell you is why do you waste your time with the punk?
Let him have it.

Icarus Tanović

You’re so dumb, above words.

Adam Prisbit

and to the fuck you too

Icarus Tanović

Talk is cheap, punk.

Adam Prisbit

When IDF visit Serbia they smash your air defense too!

Icarus Tanović

Talk is cheap punk.

Adam Prisbit

who you call punk? I judo throw you into the ocean. Krav maga practice since soviet union collapse you know that? SHET HED

Icarus Tanović

Bwahahahahahaha bwahahahahahaha bwahahahahahaha

Adam Prisbit

to the shut up and fk off you go

Icarus Tanović

Bwahahahaha, I ain’t Seb, you stupid goy.

Adam Prisbit

you are cezch or croat piece of antisemt trash yes? I believe!

Icarus Tanović

I ain’t, guess again you idiot, you Zionistic Antisemite.

JIMI JAMES

Here’s the reality check,just so you duds think lifes just the joke is on you fullovits.

Faith without works is dead,actions speak LOUDER than words,don’t believe it,fine!

https://anti-empire.com/f-35-pilot-reveals-the-disappointing-truth-about-the-fighters-cockpit/

Adam Prisbit

r u sure? I doubt. Israel modifies every fighter plane to be much better! IDF make F-35 Adir version! EASIER COCKPIT, better electronic jamming system, BETTER RADAR, better everything

johnscriv

That’s what you call a BLEVE, A boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE, /ˈblɛviː/ BLEV-ee) is an explosion caused by the rupture of a vessel containing a pressurized liquid that has reached temperatures above its boiling point.

Ashok Varma

Most like Paki supported terrorists and 100% of Indian trade with Afghanistan goes from Chah Bahar to Herat. There is a growing independence movement in Pak-occupied Baluchistan.

Condor

The Chinese have taken over the Pakistan occupied Baluchistan port of Gwader which is behind schedule and unsafe, so Iranian natural deep sea port of Chah Bahar is now the primary mega port in the region and India has wisely invested in it. The rising Indian and Iranian influence is Afghanistan and central Asia is causing great discomfort to the US deep state and its Pakistani puppets. These acts of terrorism will only escalate as Pakistani failed state falters and acts as terror central.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f095ffd83d1ec6de83ab523a65cda929f4722381c107b47f31b28c00d79186dc.jpg

The Objective

America’s retaliation for the militia attacks on U.S convoys in Iraq. It’s clear to see that 500+ trucks cannot all catch fire at the same time. People should have been able to escape and even rescue some trucks as soon as one catches fire. I’ve lived with local and international oil dealers for years. I know that trucks catch fire accidentally, but not so many at the same time. This would be due to explosives planted at intervals along a wide range. Accidents can only start from one truck, giving people time to escape. Again, I don’t think any such accidents happened in the past, at such a scale.

Biden is turning out to be tougher than Trump. First, the U.S killed 12 Iranian militias in Syria two days ago. Now, they cause such massive economic damage for Iran at a time the country is reeling from sanctions. The message is clear: We can expect a disproportionate attack on Iran’s interests as soon as the militias in Iraq bomb U.S convoys. What happens if they kill an American then?

Now, the bombings of U.S convoys in Iraq WILL STOP.

verner

most likely the jews causing troubles where they can and when they can. and reason still argues that the jews must be taken off the face of earth now, they have misunderstood what is required to be a human being and is thus in contradiction to all that mankind understand to be the norm and the rule. and when you have failed to get the idea in a period stretching for more than 2000 years, your right to be part of mankind is gone, forfeited, terminated and it’s the duty of the rest of mankind to make certain the jews become an extinct race. no one needs the jews.