A powerful explosion on 27 April at Iran’s biggest port, Bandar Abbas, killed at least 40 people and injured over 1,200, according to state media.
The blast, which struck the Shahid Rajaee section, Iran’s largest container hub, shattered windows, tore metal from shipping containers, and damaged goods across several kilometers. Fires continued to erupt in the affected areas through Sunday night, while helicopters and firefighters battled to contain them, Reuters reports.
The cause remains unclear, though chemicals stored at the port are suspected to have fueled the explosion. Iran’s Defence Ministry rejected claims linking the blast to missile fuel, dismissing them as enemy propaganda. However, British security firm Ambrey noted that the port had received sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in missile propulsion, earlier this year. Officials stressed that final conclusions would only be drawn after a full investigation.
Iran’s leadership pointed to longstanding negligence issues, with President Masoud Pezeshkian criticizing port overcrowding and poor chemical storage. The explosion adds to a series of deadly industrial accidents Iran has faced in recent years, though authorities have sometimes blamed foreign sabotage, particularly by Israel, for past infrastructure attacks, Reuters concludes.
