A mass explosion was reported in the port of Shahid Rajaee in southern Iran, local media reported on Saturday, as the authorities investigate the cause of the explosion.
The number of people injured in the explosion increased to more than 500, state media said. Deaths have not yet been reported.
State television, citing emergency services, reported that “516 people have been injured since hundreds of people have been transferred to nearby medical centers” in the southern province of Hormozgan, where the port of Shahid Rajaee is located.
The explosion was reported around 12:30 am local time (2100GMT/2AM PKT) on Saturday.
The strategically important port, located in the province of southern Hormozgan, is located about 15 kilometers southwest of the port of Bandar Abbas on the north coast of the Hortuz Strait.
According to the semi-official Tasnim news agencyIt could have been caused by the explosion of a fuel tank, however, so far there has not been an official statement in this regard.
The report says that rapid response equipment was immediately sent to the site of the incident, with temporarily suspended port operations to allow security and emergency forces to restore order.
There is still no precise information about the number of victims, but the explosion was so intense that it could have caused extensive damage, local media reported.
The semi -official FARS NEWS AGENCY He quoted local officials in Hormozgan saying that the explosion occurred in a section of the pier of the port of Rajae Shahid, and added that efforts are being made to extinguish the fire.
