.svg)
At least four people have died and 500 others have been injured following a massive explosion at one of Iran’s major ports, according to state media.
The blast, believed to be chemical in nature, occurred at Shahid Rajaee Port — Iran’s largest commercial terminal — near the southern city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday morning.
The explosion shattered windows, tore off roofs, and wrecked cars across the area. Residents reported feeling the shockwave up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.
Footage shared online shows a fire growing rapidly before a massive explosion, with scenes of people fleeing and many lying wounded amid smoking debris.
Fires continued burning at the port’s wharfs into Saturday afternoon, with thick black smoke filling the sky. Helicopters were deployed to fight the blaze, while emergency crews worked to evacuate the injured.
Local officials said some workers remained trapped beneath collapsed structures and that rescue efforts were ongoing.
Images from the scene showed streets littered with twisted metal and rubble as survivors tried to escape the devastation.
Shahid Rajaee Port, situated along the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is critical for Iran’s commercial shipping and is located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Bandar Abbas, where Iran’s main naval base is located.
Authorities believe the explosion began after a fire spread to improperly sealed containers holding flammable, likely chemical, materials. A local crisis management official confirmed several containers exploded in the wharf area.
Later, customs officials stated the blast probably originated in a hazardous materials and chemical storage depot.
According to Ambrey Intelligence, a global maritime risk firm, the containers may have contained solid fuel intended for Iranian ballistic missiles. They also noted that 12 merchant ships were within five nautical miles of the blast, with seven docked at the port when it happened.
Iran's national oil production company assured the public that the explosion did not affect the country's refineries, fuel tanks, or pipelines.
President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to the victims and announced a government investigation, assigning the interior minister to oversee efforts on-site.
The explosion came amid sensitive nuclear negotiations between Iranian and U.S. officials in Oman, where discussions have been ongoing for several weeks under President Trump’s administration, seeking to limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanction relief.
