An earthquake measuring 3.5 degrees on the open-ended Richter scale hit the city of Tabas in this central province at 08:17 hours local time (0347 GMT) Wednesday, IRNA reported from Yazd.

The provincial seismological base, affiliated to the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University announced the epicenter of the quake in a region some 40 km north to Tabas.

No report has yet been received on any loss of life and limb or damage to property.

Iran is situated on some of the world's most active seismic faultlines and quakes of varying magnitudes usually occur in various parts of the country.