Over Dozen Killed In Iran’s Port Blast

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

TEHRAN (Worthy News) – An explosion likely caused by solid fuel used for ballistic missiles killed at least 14 and injured some 750 people at Iran’s biggest port, Worthy News learned.

Video footage showed that Saturday’s blast sent a huge plume of thick, gray smoke rising from Shahid Rajaee, the country’s largest commercial port, near the southern city of Bandar Abbas.

A private maritime risk firm believed the affected containers contained solid fuel destined for ballistic missiles.

Ambrey Intelligence added that the fire resulted from “improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles.”

Ambrey stressed it was aware that an Iran-flagged ship “discharged a shipment of sodium perchlorate rocket fuel at the port in March 2025”.

Tehran seemed to conform that chemicals caused the explosion. A government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, told the media it would take some time to establish the cause, “but so far what has been determined is that containers were stored in a corner of the port that likely contained chemicals.”

Iran’s Minister of Interior Eskandar Momeni said six people remained missing Saturday as firefighters continued to battle the blaze despite challenges posed by high winds.

BROADER CONCERNS

The blast underscored broader concerns about Iran’s handling of missiles and other weapons as the Islamic Republic is seen as a regional threat by Israel and its allies.

Saturday’s explosion was very powerful, as it reportedly blew out windows and roofs of nearby buildings and destroyed cars. Residents reported feeling the impact of the blast up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.

Videos showed a fire growing in intensity before a massive explosion, with people subsequently fleeing the blast and others lying wounded on roads surrounded by smoking debris.

Aerial footage revealed at least three areas ablaze, and Iran’s interior minister later confirmed that the fire was spreading from one container to another.

One official told local media that some workers were “still trapped under collapsed roofs, and we are trying to rescue them.”

As night fell over Iran, many survivors were still awaiting news of loved ones impacted by the explosion.

Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

More Worthy News

US Sets ‘Red Line’ on Iran Enrichment as Nuclear Talks Intensify
US Sets ‘Red Line’ on Iran Enrichment as Nuclear Talks Intensify
Sunday, May 18, 2025

U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Sunday that the Trump administration’s nuclear talks with Iran hinge on a single non-negotiable condition: Tehran must abandon all uranium enrichment.

IDF Launches Major Ground Offensive in Gaza as Hostage Talks Continue, Hamas Commanders Reportedly Killed
IDF Launches Major Ground Offensive in Gaza as Hostage Talks Continue, Hamas Commanders Reportedly Killed
Sunday, May 18, 2025

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday the launch of a new, large-scale ground offensive throughout the Gaza Strip as part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing war against Hamas.

Netanyahu Authorizes Controversial Resumption of Gaza Aid Amid Internal Backlash
Netanyahu Authorizes Controversial Resumption of Gaza Aid Amid Internal Backlash
Sunday, May 18, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the immediate resumption of limited humanitarian aid into Gaza on Sunday evening, defying much of his right-wing base and bypassing a cabinet vote amid escalating U.S. pressure to ease the blockade.

Right-Wing Fury Erupts Over Gaza Aid: ‘Oxygen for Hamas’
Right-Wing Fury Erupts Over Gaza Aid: ‘Oxygen for Hamas’
Sunday, May 18, 2025

The political fallout from Netanyahu’s Gaza aid decision was swift and scathing, especially among his right-wing allies.

Trump Administration Pressure Key to Israel’s Gaza Aid Shift
Trump Administration Pressure Key to Israel’s Gaza Aid Shift
Sunday, May 18, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged on Friday that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was untenable. “We’re looking at Gaza. And we’re going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving,” he said while in the UAE.

Minibus Attack Killing 9 In Ukraine Overshadows Peace Talks (Worthy News Radio)
Minibus Attack Killing 9 In Ukraine Overshadows Peace Talks (Worthy News Radio)
Sunday, May 18, 2025

Ukrainian authorities announced Saturday that nine people have been killed in a Russian drone attack on a minibus that Kyiv said was evacuating civilians. The latest attack overshadowed talks in Turkey on ending the more than three-year Russia-Ukraine war.

Political Earthquakes Marks Europe’s Vote In Romania, Poland and Portugal
Political Earthquakes Marks Europe’s Vote In Romania, Poland and Portugal
Sunday, May 18, 2025

Political earthquakes marked Europe’s “Super Sunday” of elections in Romania, Poland and Portugal, with a pro-Russian candidate being beaten in the Romanian presidential vote.