A massive explosion at Iran’s largest port, Bandar Abbas, on Saturday has killed at least four people and injured more than 500, according to Iranian state media. The blast, which occurred in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, is suspected to have been caused by chemicals stored in containers.
Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, said the explosion was likely due to poor chemical storage at the port. He revealed that earlier warnings had been issued about the potential dangers, particularly regarding the chemicals in the containers.
“The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Zafari told the ILNA news agency. However, a government spokesperson later emphasized that while chemicals were likely the cause, the exact reason for the explosion was still under investigation.
The explosion, which occurred as Iran began its third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, resulted in a large black and orange smoke cloud rising over the port. Iranian state TV aired footage showing office buildings damaged, with doors blown off and debris scattered. The blast shattered windows within a several-kilometer radius, and the explosion was heard as far as Qeshm Island, located 26 kilometers south of the port.
Rescue operations are underway, and emergency workers are battling fires while evacuating trucks from the affected area. Customs officials at the port have confirmed that the container yard where the explosion occurred likely contained “dangerous goods and chemicals.”
This incident adds to a series of deadly events involving Iran’s industrial and energy sectors, many of which have been blamed on negligence. In the past, similar incidents have included refinery fires and gas explosions. Iran has also blamed some incidents on Israel, which has been accused of targeting Iranian infrastructure, including nuclear and energy sites.
Authorities have confirmed that oil facilities were unaffected by Saturday’s blast, with the National Iranian Petroleum Refining and Distribution Company stating that it had “no connection to refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes, and oil pipelines.”
No immediate comments have been made by Israel regarding the explosion, and there is no indication that the blast is linked to the ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
