Tehran, May 27, IRNA - A strong earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit suburbs of the city of Zanjan in northwest of Iran Tuesday morning.

The seismological centers affiliated to the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University, registered the earthquake at 10:48 hours local time (0618 GMT).

The earthquake was epicentered in an area located in 48.66 degrees in longitude and 36.65 degrees in latitude in an area 16 km east of the Zanjan city.

There are no reports on possible damage or casualties caused by the earthquake.

Relief teams have been sent to the area immediately after the earthquake, said a local official.

Iran is often hit by quakes of varying magnitudes as it sits on some of the world's most active seismic fault lines.

... Payvand News - 05/27/08 ... --