Muscat: A massive explosion and fire ripped through Shahid Rajaei port in southern Iran on Saturday, killing at least 14 people and injuring around 750 others. The incident, reportedly connected to a shipment of chemicals used in missile fuel production, occurred just as Iran and the US held talks in Oman over Tehran’s advancing nuclear program.
Helicopters were seen dousing flames hours after the initial blast near Bandar Abbas. While Iranian authorities have not directly blamed an attack, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier acknowledged that security forces were on high alert for possible sabotage attempts, news agency AP reported.
Chemical cargo linked blast
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni confirmed the casualty figures to state media but provided little detail about what sparked the fire. According to private security firm Ambrey, the port had received a shipment of ammonium perchlorate, a chemical used in solid missile propellants, from China earlier this year. The consignment was reportedly meant to replenish Iran’s missile stockpile after attacks on Israel during the Gaza war.
Ship-tracking data reviewed by the Associated Press indicated that vessels linked to the chemical shipment were near the port in March. Iran has not officially confirmed receiving the materials, and its UN mission declined to comment. Video footage on social media showed reddish smoke — a sign of chemical combustion — rising before a large explosion. Witnesses shouted warnings to evacuate moments before the blast. The Customs Administration later said a “stockpile of hazardous chemical materials” had caused the fire.
Port faces fresh crisis
Aerial images showed multiple fires at the port, while officials warned of toxic air pollution from chemicals like ammonia and sulphur dioxide. Schools and offices in Bandar Abbas were ordered shut for Sunday. Shahid Rajaei port, a key hub for Iranian cargo near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, has been a target before. In 2020, a cyberattack, attributed to Israel, disrupted operations there. Saturday’s blast shattered windows kilometres away and caused at least one building collapse. President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences and authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
