Iran Accuses Israel Over Deadly Port Explosion as Death Toll Climbs to 36 📰

Image Credentials: Image Title: Iran Accuses Israel Over Deadly Port Explosion as Death Toll Climbs to 36 Source: AI-Generated Image (aiease.ai) Date: April 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (aiease.ai), and it does not depict a real-world scene.

By Open Chronicle International Affairs Desk with Agencies
April 27, 2025

BANDAR ABBAS, IRAN — Iran’s government has accused Israel of orchestrating the devastating explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, as the death toll rose to 36 on Sunday and firefighting efforts continued into a second day.

Iranian officials said “clear evidence” links Israel to the blast, which also injured over 800 people, with 190 still hospitalized. The explosion on Saturday sent a mushroom cloud into the sky, rocked buildings several kilometers away, and crippled operations at Iran’s largest commercial port.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni confirmed that 80% of the fire had been contained but warned that reigniting container explosions complicated full extinguishment efforts. State media reported that some undamaged parts of the port had resumed limited operations.

Parliamentarian Mohammed Seraj publicly alleged that Israeli agents had planted explosives inside containers before they arrived in Iran. “This was no accident,” Seraj claimed. “Explosives were either inserted at the point of origin or during transit, possibly with internal collaboration.” Iranian state television echoed these accusations, pointing to simultaneous explosions at four different locations within the port.

Iranian Journalist Mohamad Ahwaze:

“It appears clear that Israel was behind the bombing of the Bandar Abbas port. Local authorities have asked journalists to refrain from publishing photos or reports related to the incident.” pic.twitter.com/4HYodUdd2c

— 南洋辉叔 Uncle Hui (@alexcmhwee) April 27, 2025

Despite these allegations, Iran’s leadership has yet to officially declare the blast as an act of sabotage. Investigations are still underway, and early assessments pointed to chemical containers — particularly shipments of sodium perchlorate, a material used in solid rocket fuel — as a likely source of the blast.

Hossein Zafari, spokesman for Iran’s emergency management agency, said “improper storage” could be to blame. Iran’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, rejected claims that military materials were present at the site, calling foreign reports “enemy psychological operations.”

Newly released footage illustrated the explosion’s sheer power. Inside a nearby office, five kilometers from the blast, a woman was thrown backwards by the shockwave, while other videos showed destruction at several warehouses.

International reactions poured in. Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose government has drawn closer to Iran amid the war in Ukraine, offered condolences and pledged firefighting assistance. Russia later dispatched aircraft to aid Iranian efforts to contain the fire.

Emergency authorities in Hormozgan Province closed all schools, universities, and public offices on Sunday, while the Health Ministry urged residents to remain indoors due to toxic gas emissions.

The incident comes at a sensitive time for Iran, as it remains engaged in delicate nuclear negotiations with the United States. Analysts suggest that a deliberate Israeli attack would risk escalating tensions and jeopardizing these talks, making negligence or accident a more plausible cause, at least for now.

Nonetheless, Shahid Rajaee Port’s strategic importance — handling 70% of Iran’s commercial goods and situated near the Strait of Hormuz — means any disruption there has serious economic and geopolitical consequences.

The true cause of the explosion may remain unclear for days or even weeks, but the political fallout has already begun.

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Stay tuned for ongoing coverage as investigators and international observers dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding the Bandar Abbas explosion.