The death toll from a powerful explosion at Iran’s biggest port of Bandar Abbas has risen to 25, with more than 700 people injured.
State media reported this on Sunday, saying firefighters are working to fully extinguish the fire.
The blast, which officials said was probably caused by chemical materials, took place in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port – Iran’s biggest container hub.
According to the state media, the force of the explosion shattered windows for several kilometres around Bandar Abbas, which is located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, tearing metal shreds off shipping containers and badly damaging goods stored inside.
Iran’s crisis management organisation stated that of the 752 people who had received treatment for their injuries, 190 were still being treated in medical centres.
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who visited the scene, told state TV that 80% of the fire had been extinguished by Sunday morning and firefighting efforts would continue for a few more hours.
Momeni added that some operations resumed in parts of Shahid Rajaee that were not affected by the fire or damage.
While chemical materials are thought to have been involved, the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be clarified and President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an investigation.
A spokesperson for the country’s crisis management organisation appeared on Saturday to blame the explosion on poor storage of chemicals in containers at Shahid Rajaee, adding that earlier warnings had highlighted potential safety risks.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani warned against premature speculation, saying it was still too early to say.
The incident happened as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events.
