What Caused Massive Blast At Iran's Bandar Abbas Port That Killed Over 20
Tehran:
At least 25 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured in a massive blast that rocked the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday. The explosion, which hit the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, occurred probably due to the poor storage of chemicals in containers, according to officials.
"The total number of people killed is at least 25," Tasnim news agency reported, citing Hormozgan province's head of the judiciary, Mojtaba Ghahremani.
The explosion occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil output passes. The timing of the blast raised eyebrows as it occurred when Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events.
What Caused The Blast
Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran's crisis management organisation, appeared to blame the explosion on poor storage of chemicals in containers at Shahid Rajaee.
"The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers," he told Iran's ILNA news agency.
"Previously, the Director General of Crisis Management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger," Zafari said.
Meanwhile, the port's customs office said in a statement carried by state television that the explosion probably resulted from a fire that broke out at the hazardous and chemical materials storage depot. A regional emergency official said several containers had exploded.
Quoting a person with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the New York Times reported that what exploded was sodium perchlorate -- a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles.
However, an Iranian government spokesperson said that although chemicals had likely caused the blast, it was not yet possible to determine the exact reason.
Probe Ordered
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered a probe into the incident and sent his interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, to the explosion site. Momeni said efforts were continuing to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to other areas.
Speaking Sunday at the scene, Momeni said that "the situation has stabilised in the main areas" of the port. He told state TV that workers had resumed loading containers and customs clearance.
Iran's official news channels aired footage of a vast black and orange cloud of smoke billowing up above the port in the aftermath of the blast, and an office building with its doors blown off and papers and debris strewn around.
Fars news agency reported that the explosion was so powerful that it was felt and heard about 50 kilometres (30 miles) away.
"The shockwave was so strong that most of the port buildings were severely damaged," Tasnim news agency reported.
Located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Shahid Rajaee port is Iran's biggest container hub, handling a majority of the country's container goods, according to state media.
Blast Adds To The Series Of Deadly Events
A series of deadly incidents has hit Iranian energy and industrial infrastructure in recent years, with many, like Saturday's blast, blamed on negligence.
They have included refinery fires, a gas explosion at a coal mine, and an emergency repair incident at Bandar Abbas that killed one worker in 2023.
Iran has blamed some other incidents on its arch-foe Israel, which has carried out attacks on Iranian soil targeting Iran's nuclear programme in recent years and last year bombed the country's air defences.
Tehran said Israel was behind a February 2024 attack on Iranian gas pipelines, while in 2020, computers at Shahid Rajaee were hit by a cyberattack. The Washington Post reported that Israel appeared to be behind that incident as retaliation for an earlier Iranian cyberattack.
Israel has indicated it is nervous about the outcome of US-Iran talks, demanding a full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear programme. Tehran says the programme is used solely for peaceful purposes, while international observers say it is getting closer to being able to build a bomb.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Oil Surges as US Orders Partial Evacuation of Iraqi Embassy
Oil surged as the US government ordered a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq amid rising security risks. West Texas Intermediate futures jumped 4.9% to settle above $68 a barrel, the largest gain since October, as the Trump administration reduced embassy staff in Iraq and permitted military service-members' families to leave the region in response to ongoing security concerns. The UK Navy also issued a rare warning to mariners that higher tensions in the Middle East could affect shipping. The developments compounded speculation about possible supply disruptions in the Middle East after AFP reported that Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out. 'Iranian rhetoric has turned notably more hostile, and these threats are being substantiated by real-world developments,' said Rebecca Babin, a senior energy trader at CIBC Private Wealth Group. 'While geopolitical rallies are often seen as selling opportunities, this situation carries the added complexity of potential Israeli military action if negotiations break down, which is keeping traders more cautious about selling into the rally.' Elsewhere, President Donald Trump told the New York Post he's 'less confident' about whether he can convince Tehran to agree on shutting down its nuclear program. He also posted on social media that a trade deal with China was 'done,' subject to the approval of President Xi Jinping. Oil had been weighed down by expectations that a trade war between the world's two largest economies would hurt demand and that a deal with Iran would bring back sanctioned barrels, adding to rising OPEC supplies. Prices have recovered in recent sessions, supported by easing trade tensions and the outlook for summer demand. A monthly report from the US Energy Information Administration underscored the oil market's current uncertainties. While the agency expects supply to eclipse demand by 800,000 barrels a day this year, the most since it began publishing a forecast for 2025, it also doesn't see US crude production topping last month's levels before the end of next year, a sign that lower prices are curbing some supply. Signs of market tightness have also appeared along the futures curve. Earlier this week, the February-March WTI spread flipped to backwardation — where near-term prices are higher than longer-dated ones — for the first time since April, with several subsequent months following suit earlier today, signaling concerns about oversupply are easing. To get Bloomberg's Energy Daily newsletter in your inbox, click here. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
US orders departure of non-essential personnel in Middle East as tensions rise
The United States is drawing down the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military said Wednesday. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment 'to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.' The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them an option on whether to leave those countries. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also 'has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations' across the region, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The command 'is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.' White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed the moves. 'The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,' Kelly said. Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as talks between the U.S. and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. Also Read: Donald Trump wearing a Foley catheter? POTUS' latest appearance sparks health concerns The next round of talks — the sixth — had been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, according to two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters. However, those officials said Wednesday that it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to use military force against Iran if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's 'Pod Force One' podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about' a deal. Also Read: Trump says he would 'certainly invoke' Insurrection Act if needed amid Los Angeles protests 'They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame. I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them," he said in the interview, which was recorded on Monday. Also Read: Donald Trump accepts Elon Musk's apology: 'Very nice that he did that' Iran's mission to the U.N. posted on social media that 'threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts.' 'Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism only fuels instability,' the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists Wednesday that he hoped talks with the U.S. would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. 'If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,' he said. 'We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.' Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that's still active until October. Trump withdrew from that deal in his first term. Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it 'has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.' It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'All U.S Bases Will Be Bombed': Trump Orders Evacuation Of Diplomats & Families From Arab Countries
The State Department is preparing to order the departure of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad due to the potential for regional unrest, two U.S. officials said Wednesday. The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them an option on whether to leave the country. The Pentagon is standing by to support a potential evacuation of U.S. personnel from U.S. Embassy Baghdad, another U.S. official said. Earlier, Iran tested ballistic missile with two-tonne warhead, according to Iranian defense ministry. Watch.
