A magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit western Iran on Sunday, injuring at least 38 people, a spokesman for the country's medical emergency services said.

Most of the 38 were released after receiving treatment in hospitals in the affected province of Kermanshah, Mojtaba Khaledi told the semi-official news agency ISNA.

Iranian news agencies said most of the injuries were minor, with some people being hurt on the head by falling items.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake that shook that area and neighbouring Iraq in November killed more than 600 people and injured more than 8,000.