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On Monday, Iranian officials confirmed they had successfully extinguished a fire at a southern port following a catastrophic explosion that resulted in at least 70 fatalities. The incident, which has sparked significant concern, also left over 1,000 individuals injured.
Analysis of satellite images by The Associated Press highlighted the extensive destruction caused by the explosion at Shahid Rajaei port, located near Bandar Abbas. Reports from local news sources have raised further questions regarding the blast’s origins and underlying causes, which remain unclear.
Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, announced the fire was under control, while provincial emergency health official Mehrdad Hasanzadeh provided an update on the rising death toll.
Reports indicate that the port had recently received a chemical component associated with solid fuel for ballistic missiles, a claim Iranian authorities have denied without offering details about the source of the explosion’s destructive force.
Satellite images displayed a partial collapse of a structure adjacent to the site of the explosion, where several containers were previously located. The impact seems to have severely damaged another nearby building.
WATCH | Drone footage of the destruction:
Drone video captures destruction at Iranian port after deadly blast
A significant explosion erupted at the Shahid Rajaei port on Saturday, leading to a large-scale fire that continued to burn until Monday. Drone footage illustrated the extensive damage following the blast, which claimed numerous lives and inflicted injuries on over a thousand people.
The scale of the explosion can be gauged by two large craters, approximately 50 meters in diameter, with nearby containers appearing crushed from the force and heat of the blast.
The fire, which persisted throughout Monday, erupted just as Iran was commencing a third round of nuclear negotiations with the United States regarding its advancing nuclear capabilities.
Authorities Remain Silent on Causes
To date, Iranian authorities have not provided a detailed explanation for the explosion. A private security firm, Ambrey, reported that the port received a shipment of missile fuel chemicals in March, specifically ammonium perchlorate from two vessels. This shipment was first noted by the Financial Times in January.
This chemical, commonly used in solid propellant for rockets, was intended to replenish Iran’s missile supplies, which have faced depletion due to military engagements, particularly in conflicts involving Israel during the recent hostilities with Hamas.
Despite claims regarding the shipment, Iranian military officials have denied receiving it.
Video footage circulated on social media captured the moment before the explosion, showing reddish smoke rising from the fire, reminiscent of compounds involved in the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
On Sunday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Saeed Jafari, the CEO of a marine services company operating at the port, asserting that misinformation regarding the hazardous cargo had been disseminated. He deemed the situation “very dangerous,” criticizing the delivery of goods without proper documentation and labeling.
Another report from ISNA pointed out that customs authorities were not informed about the cargo involved in the explosion, suggesting that only high-ranking bodies in Iran, such as the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, possess the authority to bypass standard port protocols.
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