TEHRAN: Three babies were among 13 people killed Tuesday when a minibus they were travelling in plunged into a gorge in central Iran, state news agency IRNA reported.

The brakes of the 1970s Mercedes-Benz failed during a descent in Isfahan province, Khansar city governor Mansour Kamali said.

"Ten adults and three babies were killed, and nine people were injured," Kamali said, quoted by IRNA.

The accident took place between Buin va Miandasht city and Khansar, according to the governor.

Despite the general good state of Iran's roads, the country has one of the world's highest traffic death rates.

The accidents are linked to the poor state of Iranian vehicles, in part due to decades of economic sanctions, and a general disregard for basic road safety. —AFP