World Desk

More than 500 people have so far been injured in a massive explosion that ripped through the Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday, according to the country’s emergency officials.

The National Emergency Organization, in a statement published by local media, including the state-run IRNA news agency, said at least 516 people have been injured and transferred to nearby hospitals.Images emerging from the site of explosion show massive fire and plumes of smoke in the air.Local media reported that a fire broke out at around 12 pm local time (0830GMT) at the Shahid Rajaee Port, specifically in the container dock area, adding that the initial reports suggest the presence of flammable materials near the site of the explosion.Quoting eyewitnesses, reports said the minor fire quickly spread and triggered the explosion due to the 40°C temperature and the accumulation of flammable substances.In a statement, the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said the explosion and fire at the Shahid Rajaee Port are not related to the refineries, fuel storage tanks, or the distribution facilities and oil pipelines associated with this company.

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has instructed the provincial authorities in Hormozgan to submit a preliminary report on the incident, his office said in a statement.Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Aref had separate phone calls with the Governor of Hormozgan Province and the head of the Red Crescent Society, issuing necessary directives, his office said.

He ordered a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the explosion at the port and immediate assistance to the injured.

In a directive, Iran’s Customs Administration instructed all customs offices to halt the dispatch of export and transit shipments destined for Shahid Rajaee Customs at Bandar Abbas until further notice.

The strategically important port, located in the southern Hormozgan province, lies around 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) southwest of the port of Bandar Abbas on the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz.

There is still no precise information on the number of casualties, but the explosion was so intense that it could have caused extensive damage, local media reported.

The intensity and scale of the explosion at the Shahid Rajaee Port has drawn comparisons with the Beirut Port explosion in August 2020, which killed more than 200 people.

Source: Anadolu Agency