Bandar Abbas: A series of powerful container explosions triggered a massive fire at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas on Saturday, leaving around 400 people injured, local authorities confirmed.
“The explosion occurred in a part of the Shahid Rajaee port dock, and we are extinguishing the fire,” said Esmaeil Malekizadeh, a regional port official, speaking to local TV channels.
Emergency services rushed to the scene as four rapid response teams were deployed to contain the blaze and rescue the injured. Shahid Rajaee port, situated about 1,000 kilometers south of Tehran and just 23 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas, is considered Iran’s most sophisticated container hub. Strategically positioned near the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global oil passage — the port plays a critical role in Iran’s maritime trade.
The injured are currently being transported to nearby hospitals and medical centers, while firefighters continue their efforts to fully douse the flames.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear. However, the timing has raised eyebrows, coinciding with a sensitive third round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States in Oman. Authorities have not ruled out any possibility, and investigations are underway.
Notably, Shahid Rajaee port had previously been the target of a significant cyberattack in 2020. A Washington Post report had at that time suggested Israeli involvement in the cyber strike, allegedly in retaliation for an Iranian cyber offensive.
