This image captured from footage released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News (IRIBNEWS) on April 26, 2025, depicts thick black smoke rising after an explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port dock, located southwest of Bandar Abbas in the Hormozgan province of Iran.
Tehran: A significant explosion occurred on Saturday at a vital Iranian port, resulting in a large blast and fire, with multiple injuries reported.
State media described the incident as a "massive explosion" at Shahid Rajaee, which is recognized as the largest commercial port in Iran, situated in Hormozgan province along the southern coast.
According to Esmaeil Malekizadeh, a regional port official, "The explosion took place in a section of the Shahid Rajaee port dock, and we are currently working to extinguish the fire," as reported by state television.
Shahid Rajaee is located over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of Tehran, and is noted by the official IRNA news agency as the most advanced container port in the country.
It lies 23 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan province, and is positioned north of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply is transported.
State TV footage revealed thick plumes of black smoke emanating from the port area, where numerous containers are stored.
Mokhtar Salahshour, the head of the Hormozgan Red Crescent Society, informed state TV that "four rapid response teams were sent to the site following the explosion."
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, who leads the province's crisis management authority, stated on state TV that "the incident was caused by the explosion of several containers located in the wharf area of Shahid Rajaee Port."
"We are in the process of evacuating and transporting the injured to nearby medical facilities," he added, without providing specific casualty figures.