FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – A massive explosion at the Port of Shahid Rajaee in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province killed at least eight people and injured 750 others on Saturday, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Six people remain missing.
China’s Consulate General in Bandar Abbas reported that three Chinese nationals sustained minor injuries in the blast. They have since received medical treatment and are in good condition.
Ahmad Pouyafar, governor of Bandar Abbas, announced the closure of all educational centers in the city on Sunday due to the explosion and resulting air pollution.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Organization, told the semi-official Fars news agency that the explosion was caused by chemical materials stored in a container at the port.
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani urged caution against “hasty speculations” regarding the incident’s cause, emphasizing that investigations are ongoing. She confirmed that containers, likely holding chemical materials, were located at the site of the blast.