DUBAI, April 26 (Reuters) – A massive explosion on Saturday, believed to be caused by the detonation of chemical substances stored at Iran’s primary port, Bandar Abbas, resulted in the death of at least four individuals and left more than 500 others injured, as reported by Iranian state media.
The explosion, which struck the Shahid Rajaee area of the port, occurred concurrently with Iran commencing a third round of nuclear discussions with the United States in Oman. However, there is no immediate indication of any connection between the two occurrences.
Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, attributed the explosion to inadequate storage of chemicals in containers at Shahid Rajaee.
“The explosion was caused by the chemicals inside the containers,” he informed Iran’s ILNA news agency.
“Previously, the Director General of Crisis Management had issued warnings to this port during their inspections, highlighting the potential danger,” Zafari added.
Although chemicals were likely responsible for the blast, an Iranian government spokesperson stated that the precise cause was yet to be determined.
Iran’s official media outlets broadcasted footage showing a massive black and orange cloud of smoke rising above the port following the explosion, along with an office building with its doors blown off and debris scattered around.
Bandar Abbas serves as Iran’s largest port and manages the majority of its container traffic.
The explosion shattered windows over a radius of several kilometers and was audible in Qeshm, an island located 26 kilometers (16 miles) south of the port, according to Iranian media reports.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency shared videos of injured individuals lying on the road receiving assistance amidst chaotic scenes.
Prior incidents have plagued Iranian energy and industrial infrastructure in recent years, with negligence being a common factor, including refinery fires, a coal mine gas explosion, and a fatal incident during emergency repairs at Bandar Abbas in 2023.
Iran has attributed some incidents to Israel, its arch-foe, which has conducted attacks on Iranian soil targeting the country’s nuclear program. Tehran accused Israel of a gas pipeline attack in February 2024. In 2020, a cyberattack targeted computers at Shahid Rajaee, reportedly orchestrated by Israel in retaliation for an earlier Iranian cyberattack.
Israel has expressed concerns about the U.S.-Iran talks, advocating for the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran maintains that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, while international observers suggest a potential for weapon development.
There has been no immediate response from Israeli authorities regarding any involvement in Saturday’s explosion.
Oil facilities remained unaffected by the blast, as confirmed by Iranian officials. The National Iranian Petroleum Refining and Distribution Company clarified that it had no association with refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes, or oil pipelines.
(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Susan Fenton and Aidan Lewis)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025.
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