14 Revolutionary Guards members killed after unexploded bombs detonate

An explosion of leftover bombs during the Iran war killed 14 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and left two others injured, reported the local media on Friday (May 1). The explosion happened in Zanjan Province of northwestern Iran.

This is the largest number of IRGC members reported to be killed since the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 7. According to Fars News Agency the ammunition included cluster bombs and air mines dropped during the war.

Notably, the personnel were part of a specialised team deputed to clear unexploded munitions from the area, said the news agency About 1,200 hectares of agricultural land was impacted by remnants of explosives.

"Iran has lost nearly $5 billion in oil revenue"

Meanwhile, the US has continued to build pressure on Iran. The US Defense Department on Friday (April 1) said that Iran has lost nearly $5 billion in oil revenue due to a US blockade in the Gulf of Oman, intensifying economic pressure on Tehran.

Officials say the blockade is President Donald Trump’s most powerful tool to push negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran, even as diplomatic talks continue to stall and restart. Since the operation started on April 13, the US military has redirected more than 40 vessels attempting to move oil and other contraband through the region, according to Pentagon officials.

In total, 31 tankers carrying approximately 53 million barrels of Iranian crude are now ‘stuck in the Gulf’, valued at around $4.8 billion, according to the US Defence Department. Two vessels have already been seized by US forces. With storage capacity on land reaching its limits, Iran has reportedly started using older tankers as floating storage units