Massive explosion and fire rock Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran

An explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, located along Iran’s southern coastline on the Persian Gulf, has killed four people and injured 516, according to Iranian authorities.

Blast at Shahid Rajaee Port causes widespread damage

The explosion occurred around midday in Hormozgan province’s Bandar Abbas city, Iran’s largest port facility. Local media reports said that the blast caused significant damage to a building within the port, shattered windows of surrounding structures, and damaged parts of the port infrastructure.

Footage from the scene showed the force of the explosion and the extent of the destruction

The blast occurred around 12:30 a.m. local time (2100 GMT), with the explosion reportedly originating from containers stored at the port’s wharf area.

“Unfortunately, at least four deaths have been confirmed by rescuers,” the head of the Red Crescent Society’s Relief and Rescue Organization, Babak Mahmoudi, told state TV.

Number of injured continues to rise

Initial reports indicated that the explosion resulted from the detonation of several containers, with 47 people initially reported injured. However, the number of injuries quickly escalated, with the latest figures reaching 516.

Babak Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Red Crescent Relief and Rescue Organization, confirmed that four individuals lost their lives. Mahmoudi added that efforts to extinguish the resulting fire were still ongoing.

Firefighting helicopters from neighboring provinces have been dispatched to assist in controlling the blaze, which continues to burn.

Explosion occurred in chemical storage area

While the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, an unnamed source speaking to the semi-official Fars News Agency stated that the blast took place in an area designated for the storage of chemical materials.

Mohammad Ashouri, the governor of Hormozgan province, said, “The exact cause of the explosion is not yet known, but it is likely related to various flammable substances.”

He added, “Port security is regularly monitored, but Shahid Rajaee Port houses a variety of goods. Serious warnings have been issued, and the findings will be announced following further investigations.”

Authorities downplay sabotage speculation

Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, Director General of Crisis Management in Hormozgan, said that warnings regarding port security had been previously issued to officials.

Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s Crisis Management Organization, noted that “the explosion was determined to have been caused by chemicals inside the containers,” emphasizing prior warnings about potential dangers at the port.

Zafari said the likelihood of sabotage was “weak.”

Ebrahim Rezayi, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also dismissed allegations of sabotage or terrorism, attributing them to “speculative media reports.”

Port operations halted after explosion in Iran

The explosion led to a complete shutdown of operations at Shahid Rajaee Port, which is responsible for a significant portion of Iran’s exports.

Iran’s Customs Administration announced that all export shipments at the port have been suspended until further notice.

Following the incident, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni traveled to Bandar Abbas under the orders of President Masoud Pezeshkian to assess the situation. President Pezeshkian also ordered a special investigation into the explosion.

“We are currently evacuating and transporting the injured to nearby medical centers,” he said.

“The shockwave was so strong that most of the port buildings were severely damaged,” Tasnim news agency reported.

The state-owned National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company said in a statement carried by local media that “the explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port has no connection to refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes, or oil pipelines.”

It added that “Bandar Abbas oil facilities are currently operating without interruption”.

Iranian president expresses sympathy for victims of deadly blast

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday expressed sympathy for the victims of a port blast that killed four people and injured hundreds, dispatching the interior minister to supervise an investigation.

“While expressing deep regret and sympathy for the victims of the incident in Hormozgan Province, I issued an order to investigate the situation and the causes of the incident,” Pezeshkian said on X, adding that Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni will go to the area for the probe.