Latest news with #ILNA
eNCA
29-04-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Iran says fire contained after deadly blast at key port
TEHRAN - Firefighters have brought under control a blaze at Iran's main port, following a deadly explosion blamed on negligence, authorities in the Islamic republic said. The explosion, heard dozens of kilometres (miles) away, hit a dock at the southern port of Shahid Rajaee on Saturday. At least 70 people were killed and more than 1,000 others suffered injuries in the blast and ensuing fire, which also caused extensive damage, state media reported. Red Crescent official Mokhtar Salahshour told the channel late Monday that the fire had been "contained" and a clean-up was under way. State television aired live footage on Tuesday showing thick smoke rising from stacked containers. Iran's ILNA news agency quoted Hossein Zafari, spokesman for the country's crisis management organisation, as saying the situation had improved significantly since Monday. However, "the operation and complete extinguishing process may take around 15 to 20 days", the agency reported. Iran's customs authority said port operations had returned to normal, according to the IRNA news agency. The port of Shahid Rajaee lies near the major coastal city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. Hormozgan provincial governor Mohammad Ashouri ruled out sabotage. "The set of hypotheses and investigations carried out during the process indicated that the sabotage theory lacks basis or relevance," he told state television late Monday. The port's customs office said the blast may have started in a depot storing hazardous and chemical materials. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said there were "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence".
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Iran says fire contained after deadly blast at key port
Firefighters have brought under control a blaze at Iran's main port, following a deadly explosion blamed on negligence, authorities in the Islamic republic said. The explosion, heard dozens of kilometres (miles) away, hit a dock at the southern port of Shahid Rajaee on Saturday. At least 70 people were killed and more than 1,000 others suffered injuries in the blast and ensuing fire, which also caused extensive damage, state media reported. Red Crescent official Mokhtar Salahshour told the channel late Monday that the fire had been "contained" and a clean-up was under way. State television aired live footage on Tuesday showing thick smoke rising from stacked containers. Iran's ILNA news agency quoted Hossein Zafari, spokesman for the country's crisis management organisation, as saying the situation had improved significantly since Monday. However, "the operation and complete extinguishing process may take around 15 to 20 days", the agency reported. Iran's customs authority said port operations had returned to normal, according to the IRNA news agency. The port of Shahid Rajaee lies near the major coastal city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. Hormozgan provincial governor Mohammad Ashouri ruled out sabotage. "The set of hypotheses and investigations carried out during the process indicated that the sabotage theory lacks basis or relevance," he told state television late Monday. The port's customs office said the blast may have started in a depot storing hazardous and chemical materials. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said there were "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence". A committee assigned to investigate the blast cited similar factors as the likely cause. rkh-mz/dv
Int'l Business Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Iran Says Fire Contained After Deadly Blast At Key Port
Firefighters have brought under control a blaze at Iran's main port, following a deadly explosion blamed on negligence, authorities in the Islamic republic said. The explosion, heard dozens of kilometres (miles) away, hit a dock at the southern port of Shahid Rajaee on Saturday. At least 70 people were killed and more than 1,000 others suffered injuries in the blast and ensuing fire, which also caused extensive damage, state media reported. Red Crescent official Mokhtar Salahshour told the channel late Monday that the fire had been "contained" and a clean-up was under way. State television aired live footage on Tuesday showing thick smoke rising from stacked containers. Iran's ILNA news agency quoted Hossein Zafari, spokesman for the country's crisis management organisation, as saying the situation had improved significantly since Monday. However, "the operation and complete extinguishing process may take around 15 to 20 days", the agency reported. Iran's customs authority said port operations had returned to normal, according to the IRNA news agency. The port of Shahid Rajaee lies near the major coastal city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. Hormozgan provincial governor Mohammad Ashouri ruled out sabotage. "The set of hypotheses and investigations carried out during the process indicated that the sabotage theory lacks basis or relevance," he told state television late Monday. The port's customs office said the blast may have started in a depot storing hazardous and chemical materials. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said there were "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence". A committee assigned to investigate the blast cited similar factors as the likely cause.
Russia Today
28-04-2025
- Health
- Russia Today
Iran blast death toll rises amid chemical attack fears (VIDEOS)
A massive explosion followed by a fire at a major Iranian port — a crucial hub for oil and petrochemical exports near the Strait of Hormuz — has left 25 people dead and injured around 800 others, Mehr News Agency reported on Sunday, citing a local official. The blast occurred at approximately 11:55am on Saturday at the Shahid Rajaee port facility in the city of Bandar Abbas. Early Sunday morning, the director general of Hormozgan Province's crisis management reported that 18 people had been confirmed dead, with the number of injured exceeding 800. He noted that about two-thirds of those hospitalized have already been discharged from medical centers, while the rest continue to receive treatment. Firefighters were still battling the blaze late into the night. Authorities secured the area and adjacent customs facilities to conduct a probe, suspecting poor chemical storage as a possible cause. 'The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,' Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for the country's crisis management organization, told Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA). 'Previously, the director general of crisis management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger.' However, the exact cause had not yet been officially determined, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told media outlets. Iranian media provided conflicting accounts of the incident, with some suggesting the initial blast occurred at an administrative building, while others claimed a gas tanker may have exploded. A close-up video circulating online appeared to show the epicenter located at a freight container stockpile. Other footage posted online showed thick smoke rising over the port area, as authorities evacuated nearby neighborhoods and temporarily suspended port operations. In response to concerns regarding air quality, Iran's health ministry declared a public health emergency in Bandar Abbas, warning of the potential spread of hazardous pollutants including ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Residents were urged to stay indoors, avoid outdoor activities, and keep windows closed. Vulnerable groups – including people with respiratory or heart conditions, children, pregnant women, and the elderly – were advised to wear masks. Several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Japan, and Russia, have expressed condolences following the disaster. Saudi Arabia said it was ready to provide any assistance requested by Iran, while Russia's embassy in Tehran stated it would promptly relay any request for help to Moscow. Iraq's foreign ministry also offered support, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordering officials to coordinate aid efforts with Iranian authorities. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offered his condolences to the victims and ordered a full investigation. The country's prosecutor general instructed the provincial office to 'deal with the possible perpetrators of the incident with utmost seriousness.' Shahid Rajaee is a strategic port facility located on the Strait of Hormuz about 1,050 kilometers southeast of Tehran. The port was targeted in a suspected Israeli cyberattack in 2020. Iranian officials have not blamed any outside actor for Saturday's incident, although the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned earlier this week that 'our security services are on high alert given past instances of attempted sabotage.'
SBS Australia
27-04-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Deadly blast at Iran's largest port kills at least 40 and injures more than 1,200
The death toll from a powerful explosion at Iran's biggest port of Bandar Abbas has risen to at least 40, with more than 1,200 people injured, as President Masoud Pezeshkian visited the site. The blast on Saturday (local time), which officials say was probably caused by chemical materials, took place in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port — Iran's biggest container hub. The force of the explosion shattered windows for several kilometres around Bandar Abbas, which is located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, tearing metal shreds off shipping containers and badly damaging goods stored inside, state media reports said. Chemicals at the port were suspected to have fuelled the explosion, but the exact cause was not clear, and Iran's defence ministry denied international media reports that the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles. New videos emerged on Sunday showing an apocalyptic scene at the still-smouldering port. A crater that appeared metres deep sat surrounded by burning smoke so dangerous that authorities closed schools and businesses in the area. By early afternoon, the head of Iran's Red Crescent Society told state media the fire was 90 per cent extinguished and officials said port activities had resumed in unaffected parts of Shahid Rajaee. Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation of the incident, later visiting the site of the explosion. "We have to find out why it happened," Pezeshkian said during a meeting with officials broadcast on Iranian state TV. "Did we really have to hold the container here for three to four months ... until we had 120-140 thousand containers stored in this place?" Pezeshkian said after arriving in Bandar Abbas on Sunday. Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran's crisis management organisation, blamed the incident on poor storage. "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 added. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani cautioned against "premature speculation", saying final assessments would be shared after investigations. It's not the first time a deadly incident like this has hit Iran, with many blaming negligence. Recent events have included: Refinery fires A gas explosion at a coal mine An emergency repair incident at Bandar Abbas that killed one worker in 2023
