Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the cause of a significant explosion at a major southern port that resulted in at least 40 fatalities.
“Security and judicial officials are required to conduct a thorough inquiry, identify any negligence or intentional actions, and ensure follow-up as per regulations,” Mr. Khamenei stated in a message broadcast on state television.
State media reported that more than 1,200 individuals were injured while firefighters continued their efforts to completely extinguish the flames.
The explosion occurred in the Shahid Rajaee sector of the port, which is Iran’s largest container hub, shattering windows for several kilometers, ripping metal strips from shipping containers, and causing extensive damage to their contents, according to state media.
According to state media, fires kept erupting in various parts of the affected area, with helicopters and firefighters continuing their efforts to douse them.
Thick, black smoke billowed after the blast at Shahid Rajaee port dock.
Chemicals at the port are suspected to have contributed to the explosion, but the precise cause remains unclear. Iran’s Defence Ministry has refuted international media claims suggesting a connection to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles.
Iranian Red Crescent teams have arrived in the area [credit: Iranian Red Crescent/Handout].
While chemicals at the port are believed to have played a role in the blast, the exact cause is still uncertain, and Iran’s Defence Ministry has denied reports linking the explosion to mishandling solid fuel used in missile programs.
A spokesperson for the ministry told state TV that such reports were “consistent with enemy psychological operations,” asserting that the explosion-affected area did not contain any military supplies.
The Associated Press noted that British security firm Ambrey, which surveyed the port in March, had recorded sodium perchlorate shipments, a substance used to propel ballistic missiles, whose improper handling could have contributed to the explosion.
Local emergency services reported that hundreds of injured individuals were transported to medical facilities.
The Financial Times revealed in January that two Iranian vessels from China had shipped enough material to potentially propel around 260 mid-range missiles, aiding Tehran in replenishing its stock following its direct missile attacks on its arch-enemy Israel in 2024.
Deadly incidents
On Sunday, plumes of black smoke rose from the site, with twisted metal pieces and debris scattered across the explosion area.
By early afternoon, the head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society informed state media that the fire was 90% under control, and officials announced that port operations had restarted in sections of Shahid Rajaee that remained unaffected.
A representative from the country’s crisis management organization appeared on Saturday to attribute the explosion to inadequate storage of chemicals in containers at Shahid Rajaee, noting that earlier warnings had indicated possible safety hazards.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian conducted an aerial survey of the port region following the massive explosion (Pic: Iranian presidency handout).
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani warned against “hasty conjecture,” stating that final evaluations will be released after thorough investigations.
Negligence has frequently been cited as a factor in a series of tragic incidents impacting Iranian energy and industrial infrastructure in recent years.
“Did we genuinely need to keep this container here for three to four months… resulting in 120-140 thousand containers being stored in one location?”, questioned Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian upon arriving in Bandar Abbas.
Past incidents in the region have included refinery fires, a gas explosion at a coal mine, and an emergency repair event at Bandar Abbas that resulted in one worker’s death in 2023.
Iran has attributed several other incidents to Israel, which has conducted strikes on Iranian territory targeting Iran’s nuclear initiatives in recent years, and bombed the country’s air defenses last year.
