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Smuggling trucks crash in Iran; 13 die

Iran Materials 9 July 2007 14:47 (UTC +04:00)

( AP ) - Four fuel-smuggling trucks crashed into each other and caught fire in southeastern Iran, killing 13 people, state television reported Sunday.

The four trucks were traveling with their headlights off to avoid detection, the report said. They were carrying a total of 17 people and thousands of liters of fuel.

The trucks crashed near the Pakistan border about 932 miles southeast of Tehran, the report said. The four survivors were taken to a local hospital with severe injuries.

Fuel smuggling from Iran to neighboring countries is common because the country has one of the lowest fuel prices in the region, 38 cents per gallon.

Iran also has one of the worst records for road accidents in the world, with about 26,000 people dying annually. The toll is blamed on unsafe vehicles, disregard for traffic rules and inadequate emergency services.

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