TEHRAN - An explosion at an Iranian oil refinery during a visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday was not sabotage and technical problems at the plant were well known, an Iranian lawmaker said.

"This incident was not an act of intentional sabotage," said Hamid-Reza Katouzian, head of Iran's parliamentary energy committee.

"Experts had forewarned that Abadan refinery was not ready to be inaugurated," he told reporters. "The incident in Abadan refinery was due to technical problems."