A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
In a televised interview, Babak Mahmoudi, head of the Relief and Rescue Organization, confirmed the initial death toll and said emergency personnel had been immediately dispatched to the scene. Firefighting teams were working to extinguish the blaze, he added.
The National Emergency Organization later updated the injury toll to at least 560 people, all transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment.
President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his sorrow and sympathy to the victims and their families in a statement on X. He ordered Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni to travel to the site as his special representative "to conduct a thorough investigation into the dimensions of the incident, ensure necessary coordination, and attend to the condition of the injured."
Momeni instructed provincial authorities in Hormozgan to submit a preliminary report on the explosion, according to a statement from his office. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Aref also held separate calls with the Hormozgan governor and the head of the Red Crescent Society to issue necessary directives.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Customs Administration ordered all customs offices to halt the dispatch of export and transit shipments destined for Shahid Rajaee Customs at Bandar Abbas until further notice.
According to local media, the fire started around 12 p.m. local time (08:30 GMT) in the container dock area. Witnesses reported that a minor blaze quickly spread and triggered the explosion due to extreme temperatures — around 40°C — and the accumulation of flammable materials.
The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company clarified that the explosion and fire were not related to any refineries, fuel storage tanks, or oil pipelines linked to the company.
Shahid Rajaee Port, located in Hormozgan province, about 15 kilometers southwest of Bandar Abbas on the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz, is considered strategically vital for Iran's trade and shipping activities.
The intensity and scale of Saturday's explosion drew immediate comparisons to the Beirut Port blast in August 2020, which killed over 200 people and devastated large parts of Lebanon’s capital.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the st...
Georgia’s International Maritime Forum has closed in Batumi with officials setting out investment targets, timelines and technical plans aime...
Kazakhstan is stepping up investment in the Middle Corridor as rising freight volumes and demand for more diverse trade links drive the rapid expan...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, warning that escalating drone warfare and attacks on civilian infrastructure are deepening the country's already devastating humanitarian crisis.
Climate leaders in Baku are calling for a shift from climate commitments to concrete action as day three of Baku Climate Action Week focuses on implementation, cooperation and measurable results.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dissolved parliament and called a snap election for 25 October, as he seeks to extend his political influence by running for prime minister.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment