TEHRAN -- A huge blast was heard on Saturday near a lake in the southern Iranian province of Fars, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The massive blast was heard near the Bakhtegan Lake in the east of the province, IRNA quoted Gholamreza Gholami, head of the provincial crisis management department, as saying.

He rejected the plane crash rumors circulating on social media, saying that the "noise" could be caused by an explosion in a nearby mine.

Gholami added that the cause was still under investigation.