18 killed in Iran bus crash

At least 18 people were killed and 24 others injured in a road accident when a truck slammed into a bus full of passengers in northern Iran, state television reported.

The fatal crash took place at dawn near Semnan, 125 miles east of the capital, Tehran

The accident occurred when the half-asleep truck driver diverted his vehicle into the opposite lane, causing a head-on collision with the bus, TV reports quoted police as saying.

Iran 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.