14 Killed In Suspected Chemical Explosion At Iran's Biggest Port

At least 14 people died and more than 700 were injured in a massive explosion at Iran's biggest port, Bandar Abbas.

The blast was likely caused by the explosion of chemical materials stored in containers at the port.

Source : X

At least 14 people were killed and more than 700 injured in a huge blast probably caused by the explosion of chemical materials at Iran's biggest port, Bandar Abbas, reported Iranian state media. 

The explosion occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman; however, Reuters reported that there has been no indication of a link between the two events. 

Iran's crisis management organisation's spokesperson, Hossein Zafari, appeared to blame the explosion on poor storage of chemicals in containers at Shahis Rajaee, the section of the port where the explosion took place. 

Shahid Rajaee Port, located near the strategic Strait of Hormoz is Iran's biggest container hub, handling the majority of the country's container goods, according to state media. 

"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.

A massive explosion, possibly caused by ammonium nitrate the same highly-explosive chemical which caused the Beirut explosion in 2020, has rocked the port of Bandar Abbas this morning in Southern Iran. Iranian media is reporting over 400 injures, while the death toll is still… pic.twitter.com/TrVkR70Zzy

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 26, 2025

Exact Reason Not Yet Determined 

Meanwhile, an Iranian government official did not rule out the chemicals to be the cause of the explosion but said that it was not yet possible to determine the exact reason. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshian ordered an investigation into the incident and sent his interior minister to the site who said that efforts were underway to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to other areas. 

Footage from the scene aired by Iran's official news channels showed 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. 

The blast shattered the windows within a radius of several kilometres and was heard in Qeshm, an island 26 kilometres south of the port. 

According to state TV, poor handling of flammable materials was a "contributing factor" to the explosion. The blast took place after several containers stored at the port exploded, a local crisis management official told state TV. 

Activities at the port were halted after the blast, the officials said and relief workers tried to put out fires. The port's customs officials said trucks were being evacuated from the area and that the container yard where the explosion took place likely contained "dangerous goods and chemicals."