Deadly port explosion in Iran caused by fuel for ballistic missiles - report
According to the Iranian Ports Authority, about 57 percent of the country's loading and unloading capacity is now out of commission
The deadly explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran resulted from mishandling containers containing fuel intended for ballistic missiles, the BBC reported this Sunday, citing an assessment by maritime risk company Ambrey Intelligence.
The explosion paralyzed 57 percent of the country's loading and unloading capacity, according to data from the Iranian Ports Authority.
According to the Ambrey report, the fire was caused by the "improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles." However, the Iranian defense ministry denied this, saying that "there was no military cargo in the explosion area at Bandar Abbas port."
An Iranian ship unloaded a shipment of ammonium perchlorate rocket fuel at the port in March 2025, according to Ambrey. The Financial Times earlier reported that two ships had transferred this type of fuel from China to Iran.
Iranian media quoted witnesses saying that the explosion erupted due to a fire that broke out and spread to non-sealed containers containing "flammable materials." Videos from the scene show a growing fire before the massive explosion. Aerial photos showed flames in at least three areas, and Iran's interior minister later confirmed that the fire had spread from one container to another.
Hossein Zafari, spokesman for the Iranian Crisis Management Organization, blamed the explosion on "improper chemical storage." He also claimed that previous warnings had been given about the materials stored in the port. However, an Iranian government spokesperson said that, while it is reasonable to assume that chemicals caused the explosion, the exact cause cannot yet be determined.
The explosion occurred Saturday at the largest commercial port in the country, near the southern city of Bandar Abbas, and was felt up to 30 miles away. About 24 hours after the incident, at least 25 people have died and about 1,140 people were injured. In addition, there is extensive property damage, including nearby buildings that have been destroyed. The fire at the port continues, with 60 fire trucks and 700 rescue workers from local authorities trying to extinguish the fire.