A catastrophic explosion at Iran’s largest port, Bandar Abbas, killed at least 18 people and injured over 700 on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
According to Iranian state media, the blast was likely triggered by poorly stored chemicals in the Shahid Rajaee port’s container yard. This critical hub near the Strait of Hormuz handles most of Iran’s container goods.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organisation, told ILNA news agency that container chemicals caused the explosion. He noted prior warnings about hazardous storage practices at the port and pointed to negligence as a possible factor.
⚡️A close-up footage of the blast in Bandar Abbas
It appears that ammonium nitrate caused the huge explosion
20 fatalities have been confirmed; those working near the blast didn't survive it pic.twitter.com/cACKbOsLlb
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) April 26, 2025A government spokesperson cautioned that the exact cause remains under investigation. President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a probe and dispatched the interior minister to oversee firefighting efforts and prevent further spread.
Footage aired by state media showed a massive black and orange smoke cloud, shattered windows across kilometres, damaged buildings, debris scattered and injured people receiving aid. The blast’s impact reached Qeshm Island, 26 kilometres away. Port activities were halted, and trucks likely containing dangerous goods were evacuated.
Those wounded in huge blast at Bandar Abbas port in Iran reportedly jumps to over 200, there is still no word on the death toll https://t.co/k4UrSOiHxB pic.twitter.com/gTSezcX9Yn
— RT (@RT_com) April 26, 2025The incident, occurring during US-Iran nuclear talks in Oman, follows a history of deadly accidents at Iranian infrastructure sites, often attributed to negligence, such as refinery fires and a 2023 Bandar Abbas repair incident. While Iran has blamed past events on Israel, including a 2020 cyberattack on Shahid Rajaee, no evidence links Israel to this explosion. The National Iranian Petroleum Refining and Distribution Company confirmed that oil facilities were unaffected.
Read: Massive Explosion at Bandar Abbas Port Injures Over 280 in Iran
Authorities continue to investigate as relief efforts focus on containing the fire and supporting the injured.
