A suspected gas leak caused a deadly explosion on Saturday in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, killing two people and injuring at least 13 others, local officials and state media reported.
According to Mohammad Amin Lyaghat, the city’s fire chief, the blast occurred after gas accumulated in the building, triggering the explosion. “The initial cause of the building accident in Bandar Abbas was a gas leak and build-up, leading to an explosion,” he said on state television, adding that further details would be shared soon.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency cited Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of crisis management in Hormozgan province, confirming the two fatalities. Among the injured, one security officer was hurt while assisting residents, Tasnim reported.
State television described the explosion as devastating, noting that two floors of the eight-storey building were destroyed along with several vehicles and nearby shops. Images released by Press TV showed the building’s facade blown out, exposing its interior and scattering debris across the street.
The incident sparked online speculation that military installations may have been targeted. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied that any of its facilities in the province were affected, according to a Fars news agency statement.
The explosion occurred amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States. President Donald Trump has threatened military action over Iran’s handling of anti-government protests and its nuclear program, though he recently suggested that Tehran may prefer negotiation over conflict. Senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani called the heightened fears “artificial media warfare,” noting that discussions with the US were ongoing.
Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest container port, lies along the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. The city was also the site of a massive explosion in April last year that killed dozens and injured over a thousand people.
Meanwhile, another gas explosion in Ahvaz, near the Iraqi border, killed four people on the same day. Rescue teams were clearing debris to reach those trapped under the rubble, Press TV reported.
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