A massive explosion struck Iran’s largest commercial port, claiming the lives of at least four people and leaving over 500 others injured.
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The explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port on Saturday morning shattered windows in nearby office buildings and caused the roof of at least one structure to collapse, the BBC reports.
Reports from Iran indicate a large explosion at Bandar Abbas port in S Iran. The blast caused injuries to at least 400ppl and damages in the surrounding area, though the cause is yet unclear. As Iran's largest port, it handles about 85% of port loading & unloading operations. pic.twitter.com/wY3Z6QZjs2
— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) April 26, 2025
Footage from the scene showed the aftermath—workers fleeing collapsed buildings, cars navigating streets littered with glass, and emergency crews rescuing those trapped under roofs.
Large parts of the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas have been entirely destroyed by this morning’s explosion on the shores of the Persian Gulf. Footage of the port shows a number of warehouses as well as other buildings having suffered significant damage, while firefighting and… pic.twitter.com/6YD6ZR3BOL
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 26, 2025
The explosion at the port’s wharf area was triggered by several containers, according to a crisis management official speaking to the BBC. They attributed the incident to improper handling of “flammable materials,” which played a significant role. Witnesses reported seeing a small fire that rapidly spread, igniting chemical cargo and causing the blast.
On Saturday afternoon, some victims were still trapped beneath the wreckage as firefighters fought to contain a fierce blaze engulfing the wharf.
Authorities confirmed that nearby oil infrastructure was unaffected, and Iran’s state petroleum company stated that the explosion had “no connection” to refineries or fuel pipelines.
The explosion was so powerful that it shook the city and was heard as far as Qeshm Island, located 16 miles away, according to Reuters.
The Interior Ministry of Iran has initiated an official investigation.
The Port Explosion Follows Renewed Nuclear Negotiations Between Iran and the United States
The incident occurs amid renewed nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States in Oman, though officials have not indicated any connection between the talks and the explosion. Meanwhile, Israel, frequently accused by Tehran of sabotage, has yet to issue a statement on the matter, per Reuters.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, informed the ILNA news agency that officials had previously issued warnings to the Shahid Rajaee port regarding unsafe chemical storage practices.
In 2020, the port fell victim to a suspected Israeli cyberattack that disrupted its computer systems. Over the years, Iranian ports and refineries have faced a series of fires, explosions, and sabotage allegations—some attributed to accidents, others to foreign interference.