A suspected chemical explosion at Iran’s strategic Bandar Abbas port killed at least four people and injured over 500 on Saturday, casting a spotlight on recurring safety failures at critical infrastructure, according to Reuters.
Footage broadcast by state media showed a towering plume of black and orange smoke engulfing the Shahid Rajaee container terminal, with shattered windows and debris littering offices kilometres away.
Initial investigations pointed to improperly stored chemicals as the likely cause, according to Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management body. He revealed that officials had previously warned the port about hazardous storage practices, though a government spokesman cautioned that the exact trigger remained unclear.
The blast, heard as far as Qeshm Island 26 kilometres (16 miles) south, forced the evacuation of trucks and halted operations at the facility, which handles the majority of Iran’s container traffic. Customs authorities confirmed the affected area contained “dangerous goods,” while relief teams battled fires and tended to the wounded.
The incident occurred ahead of the third round of US-Iran nuclear talks commenced in Oman, though Iranian officials denied any link. While authorities confirmed oil infrastructure was unaffected, the blast reignited scrutiny of Iran’s enforcement of safety protocols.
