BBC Persian particular correspondent
Getty PhotographsIn Iran, mourning is popping to anger after an enormous blast at its largest business port killed not less than 40 folks and injured greater than 1,000.
The explosion occurred on Saturday morning at Shahid Rajaee port. Many individuals rushed to hospitals up and down the nation to provide blood.
A day later, fires are nonetheless blazing as a thick black cloud of poisonous chemical compounds hangs over the encompassing space.
Folks in close by cities and cities have been instructed by the well being ministry to remain indoors “till additional discover” and put on extra protecting garments.
Within the close by southern metropolis of Bandar Abbas, house to the Iranian Navy’s principal base, all colleges and workplaces have been ordered to close on Sunday to permit authorities to concentrate on the emergency effort, state TV mentioned.
An area competition not removed from Shahid Rajee Port that was imagined to be a celebration spontaneously was a solemn event for remembering the lifeless and praying for the injured.
Authorities declared a day of nationwide mourning on Monday, with an extra two days of mourning in Hormozgan province.
It’s a reminder that whereas Iran has been rocked bodily by the blast – residents as much as 50km (31 miles) away reported feeling the consequences – the nation is now being rocked by a rising blame recreation too.
Ambrey Intelligence, a personal maritime danger consultancy, mentioned it believed that intense fires that may very well be seen spreading between containers earlier than the explosion have been a results of “improper dealing with of a cargo of strong gasoline meant to be used in Iranian ballistic missiles”.
The agency mentioned it believed the affected containers had contained strong gasoline destined for ballistic missiles, and was conscious that an Iran-flagged ship “discharged a cargo of sodium perchlorate rocket gasoline on the port in March 2025”.
The New York Occasions quoted an individual with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, talking on situation of anonymity, as saying that what exploded was sodium perchlorate – a serious ingredient in strong gasoline for missiles.
Some Iranians are asking whether or not they need to imagine hypothesis on social media which mentioned Iran’s army and Revolutionary Guard have been storing rocket gasoline that that they had not too long ago imported from China on the port – a declare which has been denied by a military spokesman.
Many in Iran are blaming the authorities for incompetence and worse, asking: How might a lot inflammable materials apparently be left on the port with out due care?
That could be a query that the Iranian regime might want to handle. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited the scene of the explosion on Sunday, saying: “We have now come to see first-hand if there may be something or any problem that the federal government can comply with up on.”
Pezeshkian had beforehand ordered an investigation into the reason for the blast, sending the inside minister to the area to guide it.
Defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik later instructed state TV that “there was no imported or exported cargo for army gasoline or army use within the space”.
The port’s customs workplace mentioned in a press release carried by state tv that the explosion most likely resulted from a fireplace that broke out on the hazardous and chemical supplies’ storage depot.
IRANIAN PRESIDENCY/HANDOUTThere may be additionally the query of whether or not Iran’s financial system could also be affected, given the port handles practically 80% of the nation’s imports.
On Saturday, authorities have been warning of attainable meals shortages within the close to time period with the port out of motion for a while.
A day later, they have been enjoying that down, saying that the explosion solely affected part of the port and that the remaining is functioning usually.
A picture from Iran’s Tasnim information company on Sunday confirmed a helicopter flying via a sky blackened by smoke to drop water on the disaster-struck space, AFP reported.
Others confirmed firefighters working amongst toppled and blackened cargo containers, and finishing up the physique of a sufferer. The authorities have closed off roads resulting in the positioning.
AFPThe Kremlin mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered that a number of specialist firefighting plane be despatched to Iran to assist take care of the aftermath of the catastrophe.
Beijing’s international ministry mentioned in a press release to AFP on Sunday that three Chinese language victims have been in a “secure” situation and that it had acquired no additional experiences of casualties.
Among the many condolences being despatched have been from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Turkey, the United Nations and Russia.
The explosion ripped via the port as Iranian and US delegations have been assembly by way of mediators in Oman for high-level talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, with either side reporting progress.
Iran has mentioned it’s open to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions easing however has insisted it is not going to cease enriching uranium. It insists its nuclear programme is for civilian use.
