A large earthquake has struck Iran, with reports of tremors felt in India and across the Middle East.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 - strong enough to cause damage to buildings.
Iranian state-run TV said at least 40 people have been killed.
An Iranian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters he expected hundreds of deaths in what he described as "the biggest earthquake in Iran in 40 years".
The earthquake is believed to have happened around 73 miles beneath the surface, close to the border with Pakistan, an area prone to tectonic activity.
The remote, mountainous region is around 115 miles southeast of Zahedan, a city with a population of around 550,000.
In Saravan, the city closest to the epicentre, there were no reports of any serious damage, the Fars news agency reported.
Strong tremors were felt as far away as the Indian capital New Delhi, where witnesses said tall buildings shook, sending people running into the streets.
Indian television station NDTV said lights and equipment in its south Delhi studio shook for nearly a minute.
In the Gulf, high-rise buildings swayed and officials ordered evacuations.
The National newspaper said buildings were cleared in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is home to the world's tallest tower, the 828m Burj Khalifa.
The tremors come a week after a deadly 6.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded 60 miles southeast of Bushehr, the site of Iran's nuclear reactor.
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