Photos: At Least 22 People Reported Killed By Two Explosions At Iranian Embassy

At least 22 people are reported to have been killed in two explosions which hit the Iranian embassy in the Lebanese capital Beirut in quick succession.
The Iranian cultural attache Ebrahim Ansari was among the dead. Officials said the death toll could rise. TV images showed burning cars, bodies on the street and damaged buildings.

Iran is a major backer of the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to Syria to back the government of Bashar al-Assad. Reports said one of the blasts was caused by a suicide bomber, while the second was a car bomb. This has not been officially confirmed.

Reuters quotes Lebanese officials as saying CCTV footage showed a man rushing towards the outer wall of the Iranian embassy before blowing himself up, causing the first blast. The Iranian ambassador to Beirut confirmed Mr Ansari's death to Hezbollah's al-Manar TV, but said it was not clear if he had been in the embassy itself or one of the residential buildings nearby. Mr Ansari had only taken up his post a month ago, he said.
The ambassador blamed Israel for the attack - an accusation Israel swiftly rejected. Syria condemned the explosion. The Syrian conflict has increased sectarian tensions in Lebanon.
See more photos below...