At least five dead and more than 500 injured in explosion at major Iranian port

A powerful explosion in southern Iran on Saturday left at least five dead and more than 500 injured at a major port. The information was provided in a report by a state-run television channel, though the cause of the blast remains unclear.

"The explosion occurred in a part of the Shahid Rajaee port pier, and we are putting out the fire," Esmaeil Malekizadeh, a regional port official, was quoted as saying by Iranian television, following the explosion near the large city of Bandar Abbas, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz.

Footage showed thick black smoke rising from the port area, where numerous containers are located.

"Four rapid response teams were sent to the site after the blast," Mokhtar Salahshour, head of the Red Crescent Society in Hormozgan, told the state television channel.

Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, head of the province's crisis management authority, explained that "the cause of this incident was the explosion of several containers stored in the dock area of Shahid Rajaee Port."