The number of people injured in an explosion at a major southern Iranian port Saturday has risen sharply to 400, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman for Iran’s National Emergency Organization, confirmed the updated toll. The blast occurred at Rajaei Port, located just outside the city of Bandar Abbas. Rajaei serves as a critical hub for the Islamic Republic, handling roughly 80 million tons of goods annually.
Footage shared on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the port, while additional videos captured the aftermath, shattered windows and damaged buildings miles from the explosion’s epicenter.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blast. Industrial accidents are not uncommon in Iran, particularly at aging oil and gas facilities hampered by years of international sanctions. However, Iranian state television was quick to stress that no energy infrastructure had been involved or damaged.
Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, a provincial disaster management official, told Iranian state TV that emergency responders were working to access the affected area and evacuate the site. He indicated the explosion appeared to originate from containers at the port but did not provide further details.
Reports from state television also mentioned a building collapse linked to the blast, though specifics remain scarce.
Rajaei Port sits approximately 652 miles southeast of Tehran, near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.
The explosion coincided with U.S.-Iranian negotiations in Oman on Saturday. Talks reportedly focused on Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, according to Iranian state media and a U.S. official.
As investigations into the cause of the explosion continue, officials have urged the public to avoid the area and allow emergency crews to conduct rescue operations.
