Iran warned against spreading speculation and false information about the explosion at Rajaei Port, saying it could disrupt rescue operations and cause public anxiety.
"The spread of false news and incorrect speculation, which disrupts rescue operations and causes public concern, must be avoided," said the government’s Information Council in a statement on Saturday.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon said Saturday that the explosion at Shahid Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas was "much smaller" than the 2020 Beirut port blast and could not be compared.
"The fire began after a container exploded near a fuel storage site," Mojtaba Amani wrote on X. He said about 300 people were injured, with damage reported to nearby buildings and vehicles, and that investigations were underway to determine the exact cause and any negligence.
Some social media users had compared Saturday’s explosion to the 2020 Beirut blast, which was triggered by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate improperly stored for six years at the port.
Iran’s state television earlier reported the Bandar Abbas explosion was not linked to an ammonia tank.
An explosion at Rajaei Port has left 516 people injured, Iran’s Emergency Organization spokesman Babak Yektaperest said on Saturday.
The acting head of the Red Crescent’s Relief and Rescue Organization said teams have not yet been able to reach the main site of the explosion. Eleven operational teams have been deployed to the area, and firefighters are working to contain the fire.
