Dubai: Iran denied on Wednesday claims of an assassination attempt on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
He was on a tour to address supporters in Hamadan, southwest of Tehran.
A loud bang was heard during his visit. Official Iranian media said the bang was not caused by a homemade grenade, but was a firecracker thrown at the presidential motorcade.
Ahmadinejad has been drumming up support as the country comes under tightening economic sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme.
State-run satellite broadcaster Press TV quoted an unidentified "informed source" in the presidential office as describing reports of targeting the life of Ahmadinejad as false.
Grenade reports
"Some foreign news sources published reports that a grenade exploded near the motorcade of President Ahmadinejad during his visit to the western city of Hamadan on Wednesday," Press TV said.
ISNA, the Iranian Students News Agency, said a firecracker went off while Ahmadinejad "was being welcomed" in the city, causing no injuries.
The firecracker, according to the Iranian government licensed news service Khabar Online, was thrown at a mini-bus carrying journalists in the presidential motorcade, about 100 yards behind the vehicle carrying Ahmadinejad. The person who threw the firecracker was arrested.
Earlier on Wednesday, some Iranian and non-Iranian press reports quoted unidentified sources in Ahmadinejad's office as confirming that the presidential motorcade had come under attack but that he had escaped unharmed.
On Monday, in a speech in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said he believed Israel had "hired mercenaries to assassinate me".
Mahmoub Zweiri, an expert on Iran, told Gulf News, "The talk about an assassination attempt is exaggerated."
But at the same time, Iranian officials' statements are reflecting the fact that they are taking the issue of internal security very seriously…. [and as if] they feel that something could happen that could destabilise internal security, Zweiri explained.
Developments in Iran come amid increasing tensions in the Middle East.
Some experts are warning of an Israeli attack on Iran that could spark a new war. Also, on Tuesday, three Lebanese and one Israeli were killed in unexpected clashes along the border and the day before a rocket fell in the southern Jordanian city of Al Aqaba, killing one, and injuring several others.
