Tehran, APR 26: A powerful explosion struck Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port in the southern city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, leaving at least 281 people injured, local officials and media reported.
The blast, which occurred in the port’s container yard, was strong enough to be heard in nearby towns, shaking the ground and causing the collapse of a building close to the site, according to eyewitnesses and state media.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of Hormozgan province’s crisis management agency, said the explosion was triggered by “the detonation of several stored containers in the port yard.” He added that emergency and rapid response teams were immediately deployed to assist in the evacuation of the wounded, who have been transferred to hospitals across the province.
Footage circulating on local media showed a powerful blast rocking the Shahid Rajaee port complex, one of Iran’s largest and most strategic ports located along the Strait of Hormuz.
Authorities have ruled out an ammonia tank as the source of the explosion. “The blast was linked to a container, but it remains unclear what the container held,” state TV reported. Investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing, with officials promising to release findings to the public once available.
Despite the scale of the explosion, no fatalities have been reported so far.
The Shahid Rajaee port, a vital hub for Iran’s imports and exports, has in the past been a target of cyberattacks and operational disruptions, though officials have not yet indicated any suspicion of foul play in Saturday’s incident.
Security forces have cordoned off the area as authorities continue their investigations.
