22 killed, 18 injured, in Iranian bus crash

At least 22 people were killed and 18 others injured when a truck hit an intercity bus in the dark hours of this morning in eastern Iran.

The truck strayed on to the wrong side of the road and collided with the bus on the highway between Birjand and Nehbandan, 800 miles south-east of Tehran, shortly after midnight, state television said.

Iran has one of the worst road safety records in the world. More than 26,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2004.

The toll is blamed on unsafe vehicles, disregard for traffic rules and inadequate emergency services.