A powerful explosion rocked the Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas, located in southern Iran, on Saturday, resulting in at least four fatalities and leaving 516 people injured, according to local media reports.
The blast caused significant damage to port facilities and sent tremors through nearby cities, with glass windows shattered several kilometers away from the explosion site.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown. The Hormozgan Provincial Department of Ports confirmed that the blast occurred at a section of the port’s quay, and firefighting teams are currently working to extinguish the flames.
“The cause of the explosion remains unknown,” said the director general of crisis management in Hormozgan province. Social media videos captured thick black smoke billowing from the site, while others showed shattered glass in buildings located kilometers from the epicenter.
State television footage showed the injured crowding into hospitals, with ambulances arriving at the scene, while medics rushed individuals on stretchers.
The Shahid Rajaee port is a critical hub for container shipments in Iran, handling approximately 72.5 million metric tonnes of goods annually.
