A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee port near the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas killed 28 people and injured at least a thousand on Saturday.
Footage shared on social media shows a growing fire followed by a huge explosion. Witnesses reported that the blaze spread to unsealed containers storing flammable materials, causing widespread damage to nearby buildings and vehicles.
Maritime security consultancy Ambrey Intelligence attributed the incident to the improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for Iranian ballistic missiles. Iranian state media, however, has rejected these claims. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian parliament, said, “What caught fire at Shahid Rajaee Port and caused the explosion has nothing to do with Iran’s defence sector.”
Iranian authorities have declared a public health emergency, warning of airborne toxic pollutants in the area and advising citizens to remain indoors. Emergency teams are still working to fully extinguish the fire, while reports of a second explosion on Sunday have raised concerns about further casualties. The full extent of the damage remains unclear.
