A powerful explosion, believed to have been caused by chemicals, has claimed at least 18 lives at Iran’s largest port, Bandar Abbas, according to Iranian state media. More than 700 people have also been injured in the blast, and rescue teams are still working as the fire begins to subside.
Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management team, suggested that improper chemical storage in containers at the Shahid Rajaee area of the port might have been responsible for the explosion. He mentioned that there had been previous warnings about the safety of the facility, with the crisis management director general raising concerns during visits to the site.
Despite this, a government spokesperson stated that while chemicals were likely the cause, the exact reason behind the explosion has yet to be determined. In response, President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation, and the interior minister has been sent to the site to oversee firefighting efforts and prevent the blaze from spreading further.
State TV broadcast footage of thick black and orange smoke rising above the port, while an office building nearby was severely damaged, with debris scattered everywhere. Shahid Rajaee port, located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is Iran’s largest container port, handling a major portion of the country’s goods. The explosion shattered windows over several kilometers, with the blast heard as far as Qeshm Island, located 26 kilometers away.
Iranian officials have suggested that the mishandling of flammable materials may have contributed to the disaster. Local officials reported that the explosion followed a series of container blasts, and emergency teams are still battling the fires. Customs officials confirmed that trucks were being evacuated from the area, which houses containers filled with hazardous chemicals.
As a result of the explosion, operations at the port have been temporarily suspended. The incident coincided with the third round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Oman, though no connection between the two events has been suggested.
