More Stories
What exploded in Iran's Rajaei port on Saturday "was sodium perchlorate, a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles," the New York Times reported citing a person with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters.
A water bomber, 60 fire trucks, and 700 rescue personnel are taking part in the operation to contain the huge fire that has engulfed Shahid Rajaee port in southern Iran, according to a local crisis management official.
As of 3 pm on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence forces have taken full control of the Shahid Rajaei Port area, including port facilities and adjacent customs buildings, Iran International has learned.
Sources indicate that even the port's security guards and customs protection personnel have been denied access to these zones.
Reports also suggest that IRGC forces are preventing vehicle owners from retrieving their cars parked in the limited-access parking areas of the Shahid Rajaei port and customs facilities.
In the city of Bandar Abbas, even in eastern districts far from the port, air pollution levels are so high that residents widely report the smell of burning and nasal irritation.
The eastern and northern exit routes from Bandar Abbas are experiencing heavy traffic due to a significant exodus of residents.
According to local citizens, the initial explosion caused ground tremors that many mistook for a major earthquake.
The death toll from the port explosion in southern Iran has increased to 14, the Islamic Republic's interior minister Eskandar Momeni announced on state TV.
Momeni said that 750 people have been injured, with 300 still hospitalized in Bandar Abbas hospitals.
"Some of the patients who require further care will be transferred to Tehran tonight," he told reporters.
