Death Toll Rises After Explosion Rocks Commercial Port in Iran

(Bloomberg) -- The toll from deaths and injuries continued to climb after a powerful explosion on Saturday engulfed a commercial port in Iran’s southern Hormozgan Province on the Strait of Hormuz, reports say.

At least 14 people died and more than 750 people have been injured, Agence France-Presse quoted Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni as saying. The blast, which was felt in nearby cities, was triggered by an explosion of several cargo containers at the Shahid Rajaee port in the city of Bandar Abbas, AFP said, citing local media. 

The Associated Press cited a possible link to a recent shipment of rocket fuel from China intended to replenish Iran’s missile stocks, which have been depleted by the country’s attacks on Israel in the course of its war with Hamas in Gaza.

Initial reports suggested the incident may have been linked to poor safety standards, with flammable materials reportedly stored near the containers. Semi-official news agency Tasnim said the blast was caused by a fuel tank exploding, without providing further details.

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Co. said in a statement that the explosion didn’t stem from any oil facilities or operations.

The explosion occurred as US and Iranian officials met in Muscat, south of the Gulf of Oman, for a third round of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program under the mediation of Oman. It recalled memories of a deadly blast five years ago in the Port of Beirut that was triggered by a store of highly flammable ammonium nitrate.

Shahid Rajaee, one of the largest commercial ports in the region, is a vital hub for Iran’s trade, handling more than half of the country’s exports and imports that are shipped by sea, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

It also holds strategic importance, sitting on the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for about 26% of global oil trade. It’s connected to Iran’s national rail and road networks, linking maritime trade to the country’s industrial centers and serving as a transit route for exports through Iran’s borders.

Rescue services raced to scenes of devastation as operations at the port were suspended, state TV said. Iranian media released closed-circuit camera footage capturing what they termed the moment of the explosion around midday local time, showing a large warehouse collapsing and sending up a blanket of dust. Clips showed the area still engulfed in flames and thick black smoke several hours after the explosion.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the cause, as officials called on the public to donate blood at local hospitals in response to the growing number of casualties. The country’s interior and road ministers flew to Bandar Abbas to oversee the probe.

Officials said extinguishing the blaze could take a long time, without offering any estimate.

(Updates with latest death and injured figures in second paragraph.)

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