News - Middle East: A powerful explosion at Shahid Rajaee port in southern Iran has caused widespread damage and casualties, with emergency teams rushing to the scene to bring the situation under control.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said that the death toll from the explosion had risen to 14. 

“Unfortunately, between 700 and 750 people have been injured so far,” he added, noting that 212 of the injured had received outpatient treatment.

The blast occurred after a fuel tanker exploded for unknown reasons at Shahid Rajaee port in Hormozgan Province on Saturday. 

The wounded were transferred to Hormozgan hospitals.

The director general of Hormozgan’s crisis management department said the explosion was extremely strong, but the cause has not yet been determined.

Initial reports indicate that the blast originated in an administrative building within the port complex. The blast was so intense that it completely destroyed the administrative building and severely damaged many vehicles.

Babak Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Relief and Rescue Organization, had earlier confirmed to Press TV that the massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee had left four people dead.

“So far, 516 people have been injured, and they have been evacuated from the site. Some of them have been injured by broken glass and most of them were superficial wounds and they have been released and four people have so far been confirmed dead at the site because at this site there were chemical storage facilities,” Mahmoudi said in an interview with Press TV as he provided details of the blast. 

He said that the fire is still ongoing and the firefighters are trying to put it out, expressing hope that they could bring the situation under control in the next few hours.

Mahmoudi further explained that the blast took place around 11:55 local time, adding that several relief and rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the scene.

“Helicopters were also deployed to extinguish the fire,” he said, noting that another helicopter was dispatched for emergency services.

Following the incident, all port operations were suspended as security and emergency teams worked to secure the area. Authorities immediately declared a state of emergency at hospitals across Bandar Abbas in preparation for possible mass casualties.

President issues specific directives to address incident

In phone calls with the interior minister and Hormozgan’s governor, President Pezeshkian issued specific directives to expedite the response.

He ordered immediate, coordinated measures to assist the injured, prioritizing rapid dispatch of medical equipment and emergency personnel to the site, while obliging all relevant governmental bodies and relief organizations to fully mobilize their resources to minimize the consequences of the incident.

The chief executive also tasked the interior minister to travel to Bandar Abbas to oversee the response, investigate various aspects of the incident, and submit a comprehensive report.

Momeni was additionally assigned to implement necessary measures based on the evolving situation, including crisis control, securing the area, and expediting the repair and reopening of Shahid Rajaee port.

Having received initial reports and assessments of the likely causes of the incident, the president, meanwhile, emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the reason behind the explosion to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Parliament sets up special committee 

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf announced the formation of a special committee comprising members from four specialized parliamentary commissions of Civil Affairs, National Security, Internal Affairs, and Health.

The committee has been tasked with conducting an on-site investigation to assess the situation and evaluate the response efforts, he said.

Their mission includes providing a detailed and transparent report on the handling of the incident and the performance of relevant authorities to the Parliament.

Commenting on the tragic development, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on X, former Twitter, “We mourn the loss of our dear fellow citizens who tragically lost their lives in the explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port.”

“We pray to the Merciful God to grant patience and strength to the families of the victims and wish a swift recovery and full healing for all those injured in the incident.”

Source: Press TV