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Fires were still blazing on Sunday after a massive explosion tore through Iran’s largest commercial port the day before, killing at least 25 people and leaving 1,000 others injured, according to state media.
The blast occurred on Saturday at the port, located in southern Iran near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global oil transport.
According to the port’s customs office, the explosion likely originated from a fire in the storage depot for hazardous and chemical materials, with a regional emergency official indicating that several containers detonated.
The New York Times cited an anonymous source with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who suggested that the exploded material was sodium perchlorate, a key component in solid missile fuel.
Iranian state television updated the casualty figures on Sunday to 25 dead and 1,000 wounded, with persistent thick black smoke visible in live broadcasts from the scene. A state TV correspondent reported that while the fire was under control, it was not yet extinguished, approximately 20 hours after the initial blast.
State TV, citing local emergency services, reported that hundreds of casualties had been transported to nearby medical facilities, and the provincial blood transfusion centre appealed for donations.
The force of the explosion was significant, with Fars news agency reporting that it was felt and heard up to 50 kilometres away.
Speaking at the port on Sunday, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni stated that the situation in the main areas of the port had stabilised, and told state TV that workers had resumed loading containers and processing customs clearances.
Images from the IRNA news agency on Saturday showed widespread debris and damage at the port, with flames engulfing a truck trailer and bloodstains visible on a damaged car. A helicopter was seen dropping water on large plumes of black smoke rising from behind stacks of shipping containers. Tasnim news agency reported severe damage to most port buildings due to the shockwave.
Authorities have restricted access to the explosion site, and media coverage has been primarily limited to Iranian news outlets.
Due to the widespread choking smoke and air pollution, all schools and offices in the nearby provincial capital of Bandar Abbas were ordered closed on Sunday to allow authorities to focus on the emergency response. The health ministry urged residents to remain indoors “until further notice” and to wear protective masks.
Saturday, the day of the explosion, marked the beginning of the Iranian working week, indicating a high level of activity at the port with employees present. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that three Chinese nationals sustained minor injuries.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to the victims and announced an investigation into the incident’s circumstances and causes.
Expressions of solidarity and condolences were received from several countries and organisations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Turkey, the United Nations, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also offered assistance. Authorities declared three days of public mourning in Hormozgan province.
The explosion occurred while Iranian and US delegations were engaged in high-level nuclear talks in Oman, with both sides reporting progress. While Iranian authorities have so far treated the event as an accident, it also occurs against a backdrop of ongoing tensions and a shadow conflict with regional rival Israel, which the Washington Post reported had launched a cyberattack targeting the same port in 2020.
