Explosion at Iran’s Largest Port Kills 18, Injures Over 700
A devastating explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port, the country’s busiest commercial hub, claimed at least 18 lives and left more than 700 injured on Saturday, authorities confirmed.
The blast occurred near the critical Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. While the exact cause remains under investigation, officials from the port’s customs office, speaking to state media, suggested the explosion may have been triggered by a fire in a chemical storage area.
According to The New York Times, an anonymous source linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps revealed that sodium perchlorate — a material commonly used in missile fuel — was involved in the blast.
With thick smoke engulfing the area, local authorities ordered the closure of all schools and government offices in nearby Bandar Abbas, about 23 kilometers away, to prioritize emergency efforts. State television warned that the flames could spread to other parts of the port, especially as strong winds were hampering firefighting operations.
Shahid Rajaee Port, located more than 1,000 kilometers south of Tehran, is considered Iran’s most modern container facility. Images shared by the official IRNA news agency showed widespread devastation, with debris covering streets, vehicles destroyed, and helicopters battling towering columns of black smoke.
Emergency services reported transferring hundreds of victims to nearby hospitals. Blood donation centers also issued urgent appeals to help the injured.
President Masoud Pezeshkian offered condolences to the victims’ families and ordered an immediate investigation. Senior official Momeni was dispatched to oversee the rescue and firefighting efforts, expressing hope that the blaze could be controlled within hours.
Footage shared on social media, although unverified by AFP, depicted scenes of chaos, with one witness mourning the loss of a friend and the destruction of his truck.
Saturday, the first working day of the week in Iran, meant the port was busy when the explosion struck. Among the injured were three Chinese nationals, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of Hormozgan’s crisis management authority, confirmed that the explosion was caused by multiple containers detonating in the port’s storage zone. The shockwave from the blast was so intense it damaged buildings up to 50 kilometers away, local media reported.
In response, both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia expressed condolences and solidarity with Iran.
Iran’s National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company assured the public that the incident did not affect nearby oil refineries, storage tanks, or pipelines. Operations at Bandar Abbas oil facilities continue without disruption.
This explosion follows a deadly coal mine accident in Tabas last September that killed over 50 workers. It also comes amid sensitive diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States in Oman regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, which were described as “positive and productive” by American officials.
