Iran’s interior minister rushes to scene after deadly port blast leaves hundreds wounded

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni traveled to the southern port city of Bandar Abbas to personally lead the emergency response following a powerful explosion at the Shahid Rajaee Port, one of the country’s largest commercial harbors.

The incident, which occurred earlier in the day, prompted a large-scale emergency operation as Iranian authorities scrambled to assess the damage and manage casualties, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

Momeni will oversee efforts to mitigate the aftermath of the blast and take part in ongoing investigations to determine its origin.

Local officials have reported a significant number of casualties, prompting the city’s transfusion center to issue an urgent call for blood donations. The scale of the destruction and the presence of hazardous materials have complicated rescue and recovery efforts.

At least four people have been confirmed dead following an explosion at the port located along the Persian Gulf coast.

The head of Iran’s rescue service, speaking live on national television via IRIB, announced the initial casualty figures.

The number of people injured in the explosion has risen to 516, according to emergency medical services spokesperson Babak Yektaparast.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that while the full extent and cause of the explosion remain under investigation, preliminary findings suggest the blast was triggered by chemical containers stored in a remote section of the harbor.

“So far it has been established that containers stored in a corner of the harbour that probably contained chemicals exploded, but until the fire is completely extinguished it is difficult to draw conclusions about the cause,” Mohajerani said.

Footage circulating on Iranian media showed plumes of thick black smoke billowing from the site, with firefighters and emergency personnel battling intense flames. The affected area of the port has been cordoned off as authorities work to bring the situation under control.

Shahid Rajaee Port has been targeted before. In 2020, a cyberattack on its computer systems caused significant disruptions. The Washington Post later reported that Israel appeared to have carried out the cyberattack in retaliation for an earlier Iranian operation.

Shahid Rajaee port, a vital gateway for Iran’s maritime trade, is located along the strategic Strait of Hormuz and handles a large volume of the country’s shipping traffic. The disruption has raised concerns about potential implications for regional logistics and security.

By Vafa Guliyeva