Explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaei Port Kills Four, Injures Over 500

Tehran :
A massive explosion at Iran’s largest commercial port, Shahid Rajaei, has left at least four people dead and over 500 others injured, Iranian authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Babak Mahmoudi, head of the Relief and Rescue Organisation of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, told state television that four fatalities had been confirmed, while 516 individuals sustained injuries. Many of the injured have been transferred to nearby medical facilities, officials said.

The explosion, which occurred more than 1,000 kilometres south of Tehran, was initially attributed to negligence in the storage of flammable materials, according to preliminary reports aired on state television. The Tehran Times reported that the detonation of several containers was believed to be the source of the blast.

Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, director of Hormozgan Province’s crisis management organisation, stated that safety warnings had previously been issued for the site. However, compliance measures appeared insufficient to prevent the incident.

The National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company clarified in a statement that the explosion did not impact refineries, fuel tanks, oil pipelines, or distribution complexes in the area.

Social media footage captured scenes of a towering plume of black smoke and flames rising from the vicinity of the blast. Other videos showed damaged buildings, charred vehicles, and civilians assisting the injured.

Located near Bandar Abbas, the Shahid Rajaei Port primarily handles container traffic and includes oil and petrochemical facilities. In May 2020, the port had been the target of a suspected cyberattack attributed to Israel, which disrupted operations for several days.

The explosion comes at a critical time for Iran, as it remains engaged in sensitive negotiations with the United States over a potential new nuclear agreement.

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the incident.