At least 8 killed, 750 wounded in blast at southern Iranian port
Tehran, Apr 27 (UNI) At least 8 people were killed and 750 others injured in a huge explosion that occurred on Saturday at a port in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan, the official news agency IRNA reported.
Six people went missing in the incident that occurred at the Port of Shahid Rajaee, according to IRNA.
According to China's Consulate General in Bandar Abbas, three Chinese citizens sustained minor injuries in the explosion. They are now in good condition after receiving medical treatment.
Ahmad Pouyafar, governor of the provincial capital Bandar Abbas, announced that all educational centers across the city would be closed on Sunday due to the explosion and consequent air pollution.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Organization, told the semi-official Fars news agency that chemical materials in a container at the port caused the blast.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government's spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, warned against any "hasty speculations" about the cause of the incident before relevant authorities complete the investigations.
She added that what had been confirmed so far was that there were containers, probably with chemical materials, at a corner of the port.
Rapid reaction and rescue teams have been dispatched to the scene, and all port activities have been suspended, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, adding that the number of injured is likely to increase.
In a post on X, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian extended sympathy to the victims of the explosion, announcing that he had issued a directive for the investigation of the blast as well as the cause of the incident.
He added that Iran's Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, had been dispatched to the province to ensure the necessary coordination and address the condition of the injured.
Later in the day, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry extended its condolences to the government and people of Iran, while expressing its deep sympathy to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani directed Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari to coordinate with his Iranian counterpart to assess the incident and extend immediate assistance, according to a brief statement by al-Sudani's media office.
UNI XINHUA ARN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
9 minutes ago
- Time of India
Houthis threaten to resume attacks on US vessels in Red Sea if US joins Israel's war with Iran
Tel Aviv: The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to resume attacks on US vessels and warships in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joins Israel's military campaign against Iran. Saturday's threat came in a prerecorded video statement by Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree. "In the event of the American involvement in the attack and aggression against Iran with the Israeli enemy, the armed forces will target its ships and warships in the Red Sea," Saree said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo US President Donald Trump is weighing active US military involvement in the war .
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Spying charges: Iran confirms arrest of German cyclist; foreign ministry yet to confirm
Iran on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that it had detained a German cyclist on allegations of spying, in what is likely an effort by Tehran to pressure Germany amid its war with Israel. The semiofficial Mehr news agency published footage of the unnamed man's arrest, though it did not specify when it took place. It said he was detained in Markazi province, where Iran's Arak heavy water reactor is located. German news agency dpa reported that the arrest happened last year, and that the man is currently being held in Tehran's Evin prison, known for housing Western nationals and political prisoners. The German foreign ministry declined to comment on Saturday. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its offensive on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Military officials confirmed a second wave of strikes on key facilities in Isfahan and western Iran, following an earlier round of airstrikes on 13 June. The Israeli army said it is now targeting Iranian military infrastructure in the southwest of the country. It was not immediately clear which sites were hit. Shortly after, Iranian state media reported loud blasts in two cities in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan. Air defences were activated in both areas. Fars news agency said a large column of smoke was seen rising above the port city of Mahshahr, while 'frightening explosions' were heard in the provincial capital, Ahvaz.
NDTV
36 minutes ago
- NDTV
Days After Her "Papa, Save Me" SOS, Indian Student In Iran Returns Home
New Delhi: "Papa, save me," an Indian student who was stuck in conflict-hit Iran wrote to her father on June 13. Today, she met her father after landing in Delhi in an evacuation flight arranged by India under 'Operation Sindhu'. Zoya Rizvi, from Noida, was studying medicine in Iran. On June 13, she messaged her father that a military base that was close to her place in Iran was struck by Israel. "They have attacked a military base. If I have ever said anything wrong to you, please forgive me... Papa, save me," read her message. She ended her message on an ominous note, "I am going to sleep now. You will know tomorrow if I am alive or not." "I got really scared," Ms Rizvi said today while standing next to her visibly emotional father at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. She told NDTV that she saw interceptions and bombings. "There was an attack close to the place I was staying," she said. Ms Rizvi also thanked the governments of India and Iran for the evacuation of the students. "The Indian embassy helped a lot, they relocated us, first to Qom, then Mashhad... Then the airspace was opened, so we came here from Mashhad, she said. Another student, from Jammu and Kashmir, said she saw drone attacks while she was in Iran. Syeda Farwa, however, insisted that she wanted to go back when the situation is better. Iran lifted its airspace restrictions on Friday for India's ' Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran. The country opened its airspace for three flights to evacuate Indians. More than 800 Indian nationals have so far returned home from Iran under Operation Sindhu, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday. Thousands of Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, are stranded in Iran. Mohammad Javad Hosseini, the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, said more evacuation flights could be operated in the coming days to bring back Indians if required. He said about 10,000 Indians are living in Iran, and those wishing to return home are being evacuated. The Israeli military said today that it struck Iran's nuclear research facility in Isfahan, for the second time in the latest round of conflict between the longtime enemies. Isfahan was hit in the first 24 hours of the crisis as part of Israel's goal to destroy the Iranian nuclear program. The Israeli military is also preparing for a "prolonged campaign" to destroy its targets, including nuclear sites, enrichment facilities and missile infrastructure. The latest round of conflict started on June 13 when Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and scientists in Iran.
