• Source:JND
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A deadly explosion shook Iran's Bandar Abbas port on Saturday, killing 18 and leaving over 700 injured. State media in Iran said the blast, which occurred at the Shahid Rajaee part of the port, was probably a result of the improper storage of chemical materials exploding. The attack took place when Iran was having the third round of nuclear negotiations with the US in Oman, but with no clue about any connection between the two events.

Hossein Zafari, the crisis management organization's spokesman in Iran, indicated that the explosion occurred due to inadequate storage of chemicals in containers within the port. "The chemicals in the containers exploded," said Zafari, noting that the Director General of Crisis Management had already warned the port of potential danger. Despite these claims, an Iranian government official stated that although chemicals were most probably the reason, it was too early to establish the reason for the blast.

Rescue Operations Underway, Investigation Probed

President Masoud Pezeshkian directed an immediate inquiry into the blast in response to the fatal explosion. The Interior Minister was sent to the scene, where firefighters were working to put out the fire and prevent further destruction. Local authorities also cleared the port area to avoid the spread of the fire. State television broadcast video of a dense cloud of black and orange smoke billowing over the port, and the aftermath of blown-out windows, debris scattered on the ground, and wounded people on the ground. Local authorities have confirmed that the blast hit several kilometers around the port, as far as Qeshm Island, 26 kilometers south of Bandar Abbas. Local crisis management officials stated that the blast occurred after several containers, believed to be storing hazardous materials, exploded. Trucks and other vehicles were evacuated from the area as a safety precaution.

The National Iranian Petroleum Refining and Distribution Company said the blast was not related to refineries, fuel tanks, or pipelines within their jurisdiction. With the investigation ongoing, Iranian authorities are trying to determine the full extent of the incident as they also attempt to put out the fires that still rage at the port.

Bandar Abbas Port: Critical To Iran's Economy

Shahid Rajaee port, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is Iran's largest container port and receives most of the country's containerized freight. The blast has suspended activities at the port, and authorities are trying to clear the region and determine the extent of damage. The deadly explosion is the latest in a series of accidents that have plagued Iran’s energy and industrial infrastructure in recent years. Many of these incidents, including refinery fires and a gas explosion at a coal mine, have been attributed to negligence. In 2023, an emergency repair incident at Bandar Abbas resulted in the death of one worker.

Although some of the incidents in Iran's energy industry have been attributed to Israel, no connection has been made between the explosion and any foreign entities. In 2020, Shahid Rajaee port was attacked by a cyberattack, which Israel allegedly conducted as revenge for an earlier Iranian cyberattack.