Iran Says Port Blast Was ‘Negligence’ Amid Reports Missile Fuel Stored Improperly 

As of Monday an Iranian official in Bandar Abbas has said that the major Iranian port fire is 90% extinguished, which means emergency crews have been battling the blaze for over 40 hours. The death toll has since risen to at least 46 amid the ongoing emergency. Over 1,000 injuries have been reported.

The massive, deadly explosion which shocked Iran two days prior is the largest at an Iranian commercial port. The resulting fire ball, partly the result of missile fuel reportedly having detonated, was so large that there was initial widespread speculation that the Israelis were behind it. 

Certainly it wouldn’t have been the first Israeli sabotage attack against vital Iranian infrastructure in recent history. And so it is somewhat of a surprise that the Iranians on Monday have not alleged any kind of external sabotage or interference, but are instead calling it an accident due to negligence

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni described the blast at the nation’s largest commercial port two days earlier as caused by “negligence” and failure to comply with established safety measures. There is an ongoing investigation.

“Some culprits have been identified and summoned… There were shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence in terms of passive defense,” Momeni told state TV. He suggested that some materials should not have been kept at the port.

Drone closeup footage from aftermath of Iran port blast released by an IRGC linked outlet. pic.twitter.com/2eGPaMW1rw

— Khosro K Isfahani (@KhosroIsfahani) April 28, 2025

According to The NY Times, a volatile component was improperly stored:

A person with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that what exploded was sodium perchlorate, a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted an official as saying the explosion was likely set off by containers of chemicals, but did not identify the chemicals. What caused them to detonate was not clear, but the Iranian authorities did not suggest it was sabotage or a deliberate attack.

Reddish-orange clouds over the area have further suggested a significant chemical component to the blast, and Iran’s health ministry has declared a state of emergency in the impacted Hormozgan province.

On-the-ground video of the still-smoldering aftermath…

Iran’s LARGEST port looks apocalyptic — craters, smoke everywhere, 10,000 containers destroyed, fire still raging, 40 DEAD, 1,000+ injured https://t.co/97e7BuuD5X pic.twitter.com/rtoMSiqa2G

— RT (@RT_com) April 27, 2025

The ministry is warning of airborne toxic pollutants and is urging people to stay indoors and to keep windows closed and wear masks. The fact that the port will have to be halted for a significant amount of time is expected to unleash harm and uncertainty on the already isolated Iranian economy.