Blast reported at Iran's Bandar Abbas port, cause unclear – local media

A loud explosion was heard at the Shahid Rajaee port in Iran’s southern city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, local media reported.

Local media quoted the residents as saying the blast shook the ground and was heard in nearby towns.

Hormozgan province’s crisis management chief, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, said the blast was caused by "the explosion of several stored containers in the port yard" and that "injured individuals are currently being evacuated from the site."

According to Tasnim news agency, the explosion occurred at an administrative building inside the port.

However, Tasnim later reported that a fuel tank had exploded for unknown reasons, prompting the deployment of rapid response teams and the suspension of all port operations.

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) said in a statement that "the explosion had no connection with the refineries, fuel storage tanks, or oil pipelines related to this company in the area," and that "operations at facilities in Bandar Abbas are continuing without interruption." It added that firefighting and emergency teams from nearby oil companies were on standby to assist port authorities.

There are conflicting accounts about the cause of the explosion, and no official confirmation has been issued.