Iran Denies Reports of Attack on Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN — Iran rigorously denied reports on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been the target of a grenade attack.

Press TV, the state-run satellite broadcaster, quoted an unidentified “informed source” in the presidential office as saying the reports were false.

“Some foreign news sources published reports that a grenade exploded near the motorcade of President Ahmadinejad during his visit to the western city of Hamedan on Wednesday,” Press TV said. “The source denied the allegation, saying no such attack had happened.

The denial came amid a confusing series of reports and rumors sweeping Tehran.

Earlier, Reuters quoted an unidentified source in President Ahmadinejad’s office as confirming that the Iranian president’s motorcade had come under an attack on Wednesday but he had escaped unharmed.

The source was quoted as saying that a homemade explosive device had exploded as the president was traveling from an airport in Hamedan to give a speech in a sports arena. One person had been arrested, according to the source quoted by Reuters.

Mr. Ahmadinejad later appeared on live Iranian television at a sports stadium in Hamedan, Reuters reported. He was apparently well and did not mention an attempted assault.

On Monday, in a speech in Tehran, Mr. Ahmadinejad said he believed Israel had “hired mercenaries to assassinate me."