An education official in the oil and gas centre of Masjed Soleiman, Berhouz Farhadian, told the state news agency IRNA that the measure was taken "to ease the worries of local families".

Iran has been on a quake-footing after a massive earthquake hit the souteastern city of Bam on December 26, killing up to 35,000 people.

According to the Geophysics Institute at Tehran university, a series of 14 quakes measuring between 2.7 and 4.9 on the Richter scale hit the area of Masjed Soleiman and the nearby town of Izeh -- situated around 450 kilometres (280 miles) southwest of Tehran in Khuzestan province -- on Tuesday.

The institute said another quake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale -- enough to make homes wobble -- jolted the area early Wednesday at 7:48 am (0418 GMT).

"We do not know if the tremors will be followed by a more powerful earthquake. But in this kind of situation the best solution is for people to move to tents in their gardens," warned Sadid Khoie of the Geophysics Institute on state radio.

A number of villages reportedly suffered damage on Tuesday, but there have been no immediate reports of casualties.

"We have sent out the necessary warnings to officials and to the local population," interior ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani told AFP. "We have asked local authorities to take the necessary measures."

TERRA.WIRE