President Aliyev expresses sympathy to Iranian counterpart over devastating explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolences to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian over the deadly explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in the city of Bandar Abbas, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

"Dear Mr. President,

We are deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives and numerous injuries caused by the explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in the city of Bandar Abbas.

On behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my heartfelt condolences to you, to the families and loved ones of the victims, and to the entire people of Iran over this tragedy. I wish a swift recovery to the injured.

May Allah rest their souls in peace!"

To recall, the blast occurred on April 26, 2025, at the Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, resulting in at least 28 fatalities and over 800 injuries, local state media says. However, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokeswoman, said that the number of injured is 1,139.

The explosion produced a large fire and a plume of black smoke visible for kilometers, causing significant structural damage and affecting port operations.

By Khagan Isayev