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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.'
Mint
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Iran Continues to Battle Port Fire as Death Toll Rises
(Bloomberg) -- Iranian authorities on Sunday were still battling to control fire and smoke unleashed more than 24 hours earlier by an explosion at a key commercial port on the Strait of Hormuz that state media said left at least 25 people dead and more than 800 injured. Saturday's blast rocked the Shahid Rajaee port in the city of Bandar Abbas, in the southern Hormozgan Province, sending shockwaves across nearby cities. Cargo operations have been partially resumed after activities were halted and the area was evacuated in the initial aftermath, according to Iran's roads minister, Farzaneh Sadegh, who flew to the site to oversee investigations into the cause of the incident. A spokesman for the country's crisis management organization didn't rule out sabotage, the semi-official Iranian Labour News Agency said, although he suggested the explosion was likely caused by negligence, citing previous warnings about poor inspections and material maintenance at the port. The disaster recalled memories of a deadly blast five years ago in the Port of Beirut that was triggered by a store of highly flammable ammonium nitrate. The Iranian port's customs office indicated Saturday's incident may have been sparked by dangerous chemicals stored in the area, although it didn't specify the materials or what might have ignited them. Initial reports blamed poor safety standards. The Associated Press cited a possible link to a recent shipment of rocket fuel from China intended to replenish Iran's missile stocks, which have been depleted by the country's attacks on Israel in the course of its war with Hamas in Gaza. 'The public can rest assured that whatever the cause of the incident, we will announce it,' Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said on state television. 'We will take action against those responsible and anyone who was negligent.' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an official investigation, which authorities said could take some time. Local media reported a series of smaller explosions overnight that spread the fire to multiple cargo containers at the port. Unverified mobile footage appearing to show the initial explosion displayed intense flames and billowing orange smoke, originally concentrated at a single point, followed by a massive blast. Additional video captured the shockwaves sweeping across the area. The incident occurred as Iranian and US officials gathered in Muscat, south of the Gulf of Oman, on Saturday to negotiate a new deal on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. Both sides reported progress and agreed to meet again soon in Europe, although readouts indicated that substantial work remains to be done. Shahid Rajaee, one of the largest commercial ports in the region, is a vital hub for Iran's trade, handling more than half of the country's exports and imports that are shipped by sea, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. It also holds strategic importance, sitting on the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for about 26% of global oil trade. It's connected to Iran's national rail and road networks, linking maritime trade to the country's industrial centers and serving as a transit route for exports through Iran's borders. --With assistance from Valentine Baldassari. More stories like this are available on First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 01:31 PM IST
