In the south, it was killed by at least eight people and the injury over 750, according to a new report announced on state television by the Interior Minister.
“The incident caused the deaths of eight people and the injury of another 750,” Escandar Momeni said from the scene, adding that aid is expected by Tehran and other cities. “We hope to extinguish the fire in the coming hours,” he said.
🚨🇮🇷
Just few hours after the explosion in Bander Abbas, there was another explosion in the not so distant Shahid Rajaee Port in Iran.
There is no confirmation that the explosions are linked, but the coincidence is suspicious.
In the videos, you can see how starts with orange…— Voice From The East (@EasternVoices)
Enhanced by the wind, the fire raging at the port of Bandar Abbas, after a strong explosion, the causes of which have not been determined, increases in tension, state television broadcasting almost 10 hours after the incident.
“The intensity of the fire in the port of Shahid Rajai has increased and is likely to expand to other zones and other containers,” the television said.
🚨 HAPPENING NOW
The explosion at Bandar Abbas in Iran has caused the fire to spread.
The Islamic Republic has no way to contain the spread and it looks like the entire port is about to burn down.
— Kosher🎗🧡 (@koshercockney)
According to the same source, all schools and offices in the area will be closed tomorrow, Sunday, which is a working day in Iran.
“Schools, offices and universities in Bandar Abbas will be closed on Sunday,” said Emergency Services District Officer Mehrdad Hassanzandech.
The port of Shahid Rajai, where the explosion occurred, is located near the city of Bandar Abbas, in the straits of Ormuz, where one fifth of world oil production passes.
A massive explosion, possibly caused by ammonium nitrate the same highly-explosive chemical which caused the Beirut explosion in 2020, has rocked the port of Bandar Abbas this morning in Southern Iran. Iranian media is reporting over 400 injures, while the death toll is still…
– Osintdefender (@sentdefender)
The first estimates for the causes
The explosion occurred as Iran launched a third round of nuclear talks with the US in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events.
Iran’s Crisis Management Representative Hossein Zafari attributed the explosion to poor storage of chemicals in containers.
“The cause of the explosion was the chemicals in the containers,” Ilna told the Iranian news agency. “Previously, the Crisis Manager had warned this port during his visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger,” Zafari said.
However, a spokesman for the Iranian government said that although chemicals had probably caused the explosion, it was not yet possible to determine the exact reason.
The port of Shahid Rajai is located more than 1,000 kilometers south of Tehran and, according to the official IRNA news agency, is the country’s largest commercial port.
More than 70% of Iran’s goods pass through this port.
