At least 28 people have died and 800 others are injured after a huge explosion at the port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, according to state media reports. Videos show a massive plume of thick, grey smoke rising from the Shahid Rajaee part of the port. Officials say the blast is likely linked to chemicals stored there.
Iran’s Minister of the Interior, Eskandar Momeni, said six people are still missing. Firefighters are working to extinguish the fire but are facing difficulties due to high winds, Iranian media reported.
The government has not yet provided a confirmed cause for the explosion. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said, “It would take some time to establish the cause, but so far what has been determined is that containers were stored in a corner of the port that likely contained chemicals which exploded.” She added, “But until the fire is extinguished, it’s hard to ascertain the cause.”
Iran’s National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said the explosion was not linked to the nearby refineries, fuel tanks or oil pipelines. Earlier, Iranian official media had suggested that a fuel tanker explosion might have caused the blast, but this remains unconfirmed.
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Authorities Declare State of Emergency
Authorities declared a state of emergency in Bandar Abbas due to a “significant rise in air pollution.” The Ministry of Health has mobilised health teams and put emergency measures in place to protect public health. Citizens are advised to stay indoors, avoid going out and keep windows closed, according to official Iranian media.
Mehr News Agency released surveillance footage showing the moment of the explosion at an Iranian port, which appeared to occur in a warehouse. Other videos showed helicopters dropping water over the fire. State media reported that debris had spread across a wide area, with many port buildings badly damaged. Windows were shattered several kilometres away. Some reports mentioned that people were trapped under rubble.
The region’s governor, Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, said the injured are being moved to medical centres in Bandar Abbas. The port is closed and maritime operations have been suspended.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the incident. He wrote on X that the Interior Minister had been sent to the region to “examine the dimensions of the accident.” He emphasised the need for “a comprehensive assessment of the causes of the incident” to prevent future accidents.
State broadcaster IRIB said the explosion at an Iranian port occurred in the chemical and sulphur area of the port.
Press TV showed many people lining up to donate blood for the injured. Shahid Rajaee Port handles about 70 million tonnes of cargo annually. It has 500,000 square metres of warehouses and 35 shipping berths, making it a major hub for oil and shipping in the region.
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