A vehicle struck a nighttime gathering of regime supporters and Basij members on Vakilabad Boulevard in Mashhad on the evening of September 1, killing at least four people and injuring more than ten, according to reports from the Iranian city.
State media and local traffic police said the driver "was not in a normal condition" and lost control of the vehicle. Some official accounts cited possible intoxication, presenting the incident as a traffic accident following a prior collision.
According to witnesses and independent outlets, a Hyundai, described in some reports as a Genesis, traveled west-to-east at high speed, struck a Changan sedan in a parallel lane, then hit traffic barriers and barrels before striking the crowd gathered on the roadside.
Opposition and independent media characterized the incident differently, describing it as a ramming attack on the pro-regime gathering. Videos circulated online showing the damaged vehicle, scattered debris, and injured people.
The driver was arrested at the scene. Authorities have not released detailed identifications of those killed or the driver.
Khorasan Razavi Governor Mehrdad Bazhoutan ordered an investigation into the incident. Footage circulating on social media shows the chaotic aftermath at the scene minutes after the vehicle struck the crowd of regime supporters.
