Firefighters in Iran fought a raging blaze on Monday at the country’s largest commercial port, two days after a devastating explosion that claimed the lives of at least 46 people, according to state TV reports.
The explosion occurred on Saturday at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
“The death toll from the Shahid Rajaee Port fire has reached 46,” reported the official IRNA news agency, quoting Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, the crisis management director for Hormozgan province.
Initial reports indicated that over 1,000 people were injured, but Hassanzadeh clarified that most have now been discharged after receiving treatment. He confirmed that 138 people remain hospitalized.
State TV footage showed firefighters working to extinguish the flames, with officials stating that a full assessment of the damage will be conducted once the fire is under control. Images captured by the Iranian Red Crescent revealed heavy black smoke rising from part of the port, with a firefighting helicopter overhead.
The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, though the port’s customs office speculated it may have originated from a fire at the depot for hazardous and chemical materials.
In response to the incident, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered an investigation to determine whether there was any negligence or intent behind the explosion.
Initial CCTV footage shared on social media depicted the fire starting slowly, with small flames and orange-brown smoke, before a massive fireball erupted. The video appeared to show a small fire beginning near several containers stacked outside a warehouse, followed by the explosion as vehicles passed by. The eruption caused nearby pedestrians to flee in panic.
President Masoud Pezeshkian visited hospitals in the nearby city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday to meet with the wounded.
In the aftermath of the explosion, authorities have closed all schools and offices in the area and advised residents to stay indoors and wear protective masks. The New York Times reported that sources with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suggested the explosion involved sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient in missile fuel.
However, Defence Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik stated that there was no military-related cargo in the area at the time.
Russia has sent specialists to assist with firefighting efforts, while Iranian authorities have declared Monday a national day of mourning. In Hormozgan province, where the port is located, three days of mourning began on Sunday.
The blast occurred while high-level talks between Iranian and US delegations were underway in Oman regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, with both sides reporting progress.
Though Iranian officials are currently treating the incident as an accident, the explosion comes amid years of covert conflict with regional rival Israel. The Washington Post noted that Israel reportedly launched a cyberattack on Shahid Rajaee Port in 2020.