6.1 magnitude earthquake strikes near Iran's city of Mashhad

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck northern Iran.

Iranian state television described the temblor as hitting today near Mashaad, the country's second-largest city. It offered no immediate information on possible damage or injuries.

The US Geological Survey described the earthquake as a magnitude 6.1.

Iran is prone to earthquakes due to a number of faults in the Middle Eastern nation.

In 2003, around 26,000 people were killed by a magnitude 6.6 quake that flattened the historic southeastern Iranian city of Bam.