Israel and Iran indirectly agreed to a ceasefire on June 24, yet a wave of explosions and the sudden death of an IRGC general over the past week have disturbed the relative calm in Iran. The regime has attributed every explosive incident to “gas leaks,” despite evidence contradicting these claims. Israel has remained silent on these events but likely maintains intelligence superiority and the capacity to conduct operations in Iran.
Videos circulating on social media show the aftermath of a powerful explosion at the Pamchal 9 complex in Tehran’s Chitgar neighborhood. Contrary to claims by state media and judiciary-affiliated outlets, the building—known to house personnel from the Armed Forces Judicial Organization—was reportedly not connected to the gas grid at the time of the July 11 blast. A resident confirmed that both Pamchal 9 and the adjacent Pamchal 10 towers lacked gas access, whereas state-linked media insisted the explosion resulted from a “gas leak.”
Only days earlier, images surfaced of a destroyed structure in Tehran’s Jenatabad neighborhood. Authorities again blamed a ruptured gas pipe, even as simultaneous reports emerged of similar “gas explosions” in Kermanshah and Mashhad.
That same day, July 11, another explosion rocked a residential tower along Hamdani Expressway near Chitgar Lake in Tehran. Images shared online show extensive structural damage, though no official explanation has been provided.
Two days later, on July 15, an explosion tore through the first floor of a residential building in Pardisan, Qom. The building reportedly belongs to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. While state media claimed seven people were injured, the scale of destruction suggests far more than a routine gas leak—an explosion of such magnitude would have required a gas buildup intense enough to fatally poison residents before detonation.
Hours after the Qom blast, yet another powerful explosion was reported near Mashhad International Airport and 17 Shahrivar Street, again with no apparent cause.
In Tabriz, footage posted on July 15 shows a massive fire engulfing the high-rise Zomorod Tower along 29 Bahman Boulevard. A day prior, local air defense systems were activated, and residents reported hearing explosions.
Numerous fires and explosions were also reported across Tehran’s Districts 7, 15, 20, and 22 on July 1 and 2.
Adding to the recent unusual events is the sudden death of Brigadier General Gholamhossein Gheibparvar, who served as the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at the Imam Ali Central Security Headquarters. IRGC-affiliated media attributed Gheibparvar’s death to exposure to chemical agents during the Iran-Iraq war—despite the fact that regime media had never mention these conditions previously, and he had not displayed symptoms associated with chemical injuries such as respiratory distress or related illness during a January 2025 speech.
Separately, the state-run ISNA claimed that Gheibparvar had “endured intense physical and psychological pressure” during the 12-day war and was transferred to a hospital shortly after the ceasefire, where he was in coma until he died. The contradictory narratives surrounding the cause of his death—whether from injuries sustained during the Iran-Iraq War or from the recent 12-day conflict—raise the possibility of a cover-up.
The Imam Ali Central Security Headquarters, situated west of Tehran, serves as the IRGC’s primary command center for nationwide protest suppression. It oversees the training and deployment of Imam Ali Battalions—paramilitary riot-control units—and coordinates intelligence and rapid-response operations to quell unrest across the country.
During the 12-day war, Israel struck multiple IRGC facilities tied to internal repression, including the headquarters of the Basij, the Sarallah Command, and the Mohammad Rasoulallah Corps. These operations were accompanied by a messaging campaign aimed at expressing solidarity with the Iranian people.
In response to the recent incidents, Fars News Agency—affiliated with the IRGC—acknowledged growing public skepticism toward official explanations blaming gas leaks. Nonetheless, the outlet insisted that such incidents are to be expected, writing, “It is entirely natural for such events to occur in a country of 90 million people and 30 million gas subscribers.”
Echoing this narrative, the head of the National Iranian Gas Company claimed that accidents of this nature are inevitable given the size of the country’s gas network.
Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for any of the incidents, the regime in Tehran appears to remain in crisis mode over security. Commercial air traffic over Iran has largely ceased, with only military aircraft visible in the skies. Security forces have established inspection checkpoints across Tehran to monitor internal movement. Authorities have yet to announce any credible discovery of Israeli spies—further suggesting that Israel continues to hold a clear intelligence advantage and retains the capability to carry out operations deep inside Iranian territory.