Blast at Iranian port kills at least 65

Tasnim News Agency/CC BY 4.0

INVESTIGATIONS are underway into an explosion at a port in Iran that killed at least 65 people and injured more than a thousand.

The explosion occurred on Saturday at the Shahid Rajaee port in southern Iran. According to the latest media reports, around 1,000 were injured, of which 120 are in hospital. The fire was still blazing 24 hours later as state media reported that around 80% of the fires spreading through the port had been contained.

The blast destroyed cars and blew out the windows of buildings. Residents reported feeling the impact of the blast 50 km away. Photos taken by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency show thick plumes of smoke drifting from the port and destroyed cars on a nearby highway.  

The port’s customs office said in a statement carried by Al Jazeera that the explosion was probably caused by a fire that started in a hazardous and chemical materials storage depot.

Interior minister Eskandar Momeni is reported to have said that the blast was caused by “shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence”.

A spokesperson for Iran’s ministry of defence has denied reports that the incident may have been caused by mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles, The FT reports.

Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik said: “No imported or exported consignment intended for fuel for military use was present in the area where the fire occurred. Such accusations are part of psychological warfare by our enemies.”

The port is located on the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world’s crude oil is shipped. Iran’s economy is highly dependent on oil. Authorities have said the blast has not damaged oil infrastructure.

Iran’s first vice-president Mohammad Reza Aref has emphasised the need to bolster safety protocols across all ports and industrial facilities in the province to prevent similar incidents. He said authorities have been instructed to implement stringent measures to minimise risks and safeguard operations, according to the state news agency IRNA.

The explosion is the latest to show the devastation that can be caused when chemicals stored at ports catch fire and explode. Around 200 people were killed in an ammonium nitrate blast at a port in Beirut, Lebanon in 2020. An explosion at a port in Tianjin, China in 2015 killed 178.

The latest blast occurred as Iran and the US met in Oman to negotiate over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The talks, which are set to continue next week, could prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and ease the sanctions the US has imposed on the country.