Huge blast at key Iranian port kills eight and injures more than 750

At slightest 8 radical person been killed and 750 injured successful a monolithic detonation astatine 1 of Iran's cardinal ports, authorities say.

The blast took spot astatine Shahid Rajaee, the country's largest commercialized port, adjacent the confederate metropolis of Bandar Abbas connected Saturday morning.

It blew retired windows and roofs of adjacent buildings and destroyed cars. Residents reported feeling the interaction of the blast up to 50km (31 miles) away.

Videos verified by the BBC amusement a occurrence increasing successful strength earlier a immense explosion, with radical subsequently fleeing the blast and others lying wounded connected roads surrounded by smoking debris.

Aerial footage showed astatine slightest 3 areas ablaze and Iran's interior curate aboriginal confirmed that the occurrence was spreading from 1 instrumentality to another.

Some workers were "still trapped nether collapsed roofs and we are trying to rescue them", 1 authoritative told section media according to BBC Persian.

One backstage maritime hazard steadfast said it believed the affected containers had contained coagulated substance destined for ballistic missiles.

The occurrence was the effect of "improper handling of a shipment of coagulated substance intended for usage successful Iranian ballistic missiles", Ambrey Intelligence said.

Ambrey said it was alert that an Iran-flagged vessel "discharged a shipment of sodium perchlorate rocket substance astatine the larboard successful March 2025".

The Financial Times paper had antecedently reported that 2 vessels had shipped substance to Iran from China.

State media quoted witnesses arsenic saying the detonation occurred aft a occurrence broke retired and dispersed to unsealed containers storing "flammable materials".

Customs officials aboriginal released a connection reported by Iranian authorities TV saying the detonation had astir apt resulted from a occurrence that had breached retired successful a hazmat and chemic materials retention depot.

In a aboriginal update Ambrey quoted Iran's National Disaster Management Organisation arsenic saying officials had antecedently issued warnings to Shahid Rajaee larboard regarding the harmless retention of chemicals.

Shahid Rajaee larboard is Iran's largest and astir precocious terminal, done which overmuch of the country's commercialized shipping transits.

It is located connected the Strait of Hormuz, a large shipping transmission for lipid cargo, and is astir 20km (12 miles) westbound of Bandar Abbas, Iran's large larboard metropolis connected its southbound seashore and location to the Iranian Navy's main base.

Iran's nationalist lipid accumulation institution said the detonation astatine the larboard had "no connection" to the country's lipid refineries, substance tanks and pipelines, section media reported.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed his "deep regret and sympathy" for victims. He has announced a authorities probe and sent the interior curate to the portion to pb it.

Saturday's detonation took spot arsenic Iranian and US officials met successful Oman for a 3rd circular of talks connected Iran's atomic programme.

Negotiations person been nether mode for respective weeks arsenic the US authorities nether President Trump has sought to onslaught a woody that prevents Iran from processing its programme successful instrumentality for alleviation from economical sanctions.