A massive explosion and subsequent fire erupted Saturday at a port in southern Iran, reportedly linked to a shipment of chemicals used in missile propellant. The incident claimed 25 lives and left around 800 people injured.
Throughout the night and into Sunday morning, aircraft and helicopters worked to extinguish the flames at Shahid Rajaei port. The blast coincided with a third round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in Oman.
Although no officials directly blamed the explosion on an attack, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that their security forces remain on high alert due to previous sabotage and assassination attempts.
A massive explosion at an Iranian port linked to missile fuel shipment kills 14, injures some 750
Iranian state media confirmed the death toll and said only 10 victims, including two women, had been identified so far.
According to state television, the fire was largely contained and port operations had resumed, with footage showing the unloading of cargo containers.
Details remain scarce about what exactly ignited the fire near Bandar Abbas, but reports suggest several containers detonated after the initial blast.
Security firm Ambrey linked the explosion to a recent delivery of ammonium perchlorate — a chemical used in solid rocket fuel — which reportedly arrived from China in March. This shipment was intended to replenish Iran’s missile supplies after recent strikes on Israel during the Gaza conflict.
Ambrey attributed the explosion to mishandling of the missile fuel. Vessel tracking confirmed one of the suspected chemical-carrying ships was in the area at that time. Iran has neither confirmed receiving the shipment nor responded to requests for comment.
There are lingering questions about why the volatile chemicals remained at the port, especially after the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020. Israel has previously targeted Iranian missile fuel production sites.
Footage from the scene showed reddish smoke, hinting at a chemical explosion. In one video, a man warned people to flee moments before the blast.
State-run IRNA reported that Iran’s Customs Administration blamed the explosion on improperly stored hazardous materials, without giving further details.
Aerial images showed multiple fires across the port, and officials warned of dangerous air pollution from chemicals like ammonia and nitrogen dioxide. Schools and government offices in Bandar Abbas will be closed Sunday due to the incident.
Shahid Rajaei, a key Iranian cargo port, has been targeted before — notably in a 2020 cyberattack linked to Israel. After Saturday’s explosion, social media showed images of black smoke and shattered windows from miles away. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the injured.
Officials said containers at the port were the source of the blast. A nearby building reportedly collapsed, though further information was not released.
The Iranian Interior Ministry has launched an investigation, and President Masoud Pezeshkian offered condolences to those affected.
Located in Hormozgan province near the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial global oil transit route — Shahid Rajaei is a major cargo hub for Iran.