Explosion Kills 18 of Iran's Revolutionary Guards

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EIGHTEEN Revolutionary Guards have been killed in a fire at an ammunitions store at one of the elite force's bases in western Iran, the state IRNA news agency has reported.

"Eighteen members of the forces at the base were killed and 14 wounded" in Tuesday's explosion, IRNA quoted Guards commander Yadollah Bouali as saying.

Two days of mourning have been declared in Lorestan province after the blast at the Imam Ali base near the provincial capital Khorramabad, IRNA said.

Mr Bouali said on Tuesday that the explosion hit when a fire spread to the munitions store at the base.

The Revolutionary Guards have emerged as a powerful military and economic force in Iran in recent years, especially under the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The force was set up after the Islamic revolution of 1979 to defend the revolution against internal and external threats.

The Guards were heavily involved in the government's crackdown on opposition protests that erupted after last's year disputed presidential election results which gave Ahmadinejad a second term.

Karma's a bitch.