TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Sunday expressed his deepest condolences to Iraq, especially the families of the victims of the fire at the Ibn Khatib hospital in Baghdad.

The tragic incident that took place in the Diyala Bridge area of the Iraqi capital on Saturday night resulted in the death of at least 82 people and injury of another 110 citizens.

Khatibzadeh expressed “mercy and forgiveness for the martyrs of this bitter incident and speedy recovery for the injured and patience and reward for the families of the victims.”

Iraq’s Health Ministry said the fire occurred after an accident caused an oxygen tank to explode.

According to the head of Iraq’s civil defense unit, the fire broke out on the floor reserved for the pulmonary intensive care unit.

Barham Salih, the Iraqi president, announced three days of public mourning. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the prime minister, also called for an extraordinary cabinet meeting to investigate the incident.

SA/PA