Massive Explosion At Iran's Bandar Abbas: Over 500 Injured

At least 519 injured after a massive explosion and fire struck the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, AP News reported.

The blast occurred in the Sina container yard, which is linked to Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, coinciding with the country's third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman.

"The cause of this incident was the explosion of several containers stored in the Shahid Rajaee Port wharf area. We are currently evacuating and transferring the injured to medical centres," Reuters quoted a local crisis management official as telling to state TV.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that port operations were halted to control the fire, adding that due to the high number of workers present, "many people were probably injured or even killed in the incident."

The explosion was so powerful that it shattered windows several kilometers away, with Iranian media sharing footage of a mushroom cloud rising after the blast. Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of Hormozgan province's crisis management organization, confirmed that the injured were being taken to hospitals.

Earlier, Esmaeil Malekizadeh, an official from the Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Administration, stated that the explosion happened near the Shahid Rajaee port dock.

Videos circulating on social media showed a massive black smoke plume and a fireball erupting from the site. Additional clips revealed damaged buildings, wrecked vehicles, and locals helping the injured while assessing property damage.

The Shahid Rajaee port is a key container terminal and also houses oil storage tanks and petrochemical facilities, raising concerns about further risks following the explosion.