• Shahid Rajaei Port, which primarily handles container traffic, also houses oil tanks and petrochemical facilities. In May 2020, Israel was accused of launching a major cyberattack on the same port, disrupting operations for several days by crashing the facility’s computer systems.
Hundreds have been injured following a massive explosion and fire at the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, located more than 1,000km (620 miles) south of Tehran, according to officials and state media, reported Al Jazeera.
On Saturday, Iran’s state media reported a “massive explosion” at Shahid Rajaei, the country’s largest commercial port, in Hormozgan province on the southern coast. At least 516 people were injured in the incident, with those affected being transferred to nearby medical centers for treatment.
Initial reports from Iranian state television suggest that negligence in the storage of flammable materials may have contributed to the explosion, while Tehran Times indicated that the blast was triggered by the detonation of several containers.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, director of Hormozgan province’s crisis management organization, confirmed to state television that the injured have been transferred to medical facilities.
He added that safety officials had previously inspected the site and issued safety warnings.
The National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company issued a statement following the blast, assuring that oil facilities in the area were unaffected. “The explosion and fire at Shahid Rajaei Port have no connection to refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes, or oil pipelines associated with this company,” the statement read.
Earlier, Esmaeil Malekizadeh, an official from Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Administration, confirmed the explosion occurred near the Shahid Rajaeiport dock.
Videos shared on social media captured a massive plume of black smoke and a fireball rising from the explosion site. Additional footage showed damage to buildings and vehicles, with several people attending to the injured and inspecting the property damage.
Shahid Rajaei Port, which primarily handles container traffic, also houses oil tanks and petrochemical facilities.
In May 2020, Israel was accused of launching a major cyberattack on the same port, disrupting operations for several days by crashing the facility’s computer systems.
The explosion comes at a sensitive time as Iranian officials continue negotiations with U.S. officials regarding a potential new nuclear deal.
