Source Reuter
BANDAR ABBAS, Iran – At least one person was killed and 14 others injured on Saturday following a massive explosion at an eight-story residential building in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
According to state media reports, the blast occurred in the Moallem Boulevard district, a bustling area of the city. The force of the explosion was so severe that it completely destroyed two floors of the building, while also causing extensive damage to several nearby shops and parked vehicles.
Casualties and Emergency Response
Emergency responders and firefighting teams were quickly deployed to the scene. Local officials confirmed that the injured have been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. While initial reports from state television did not specify the age or identity of the deceased, some local outlets have identified the victim as a four-year-old girl.
Conflicting Reports on Cause
The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. While some fire officials have suggested a gas leak may have triggered the disaster, local residents have raised questions, with some claiming the building was not connected to the city’s main gas network.
The incident has triggered a wave of speculation on social media. The semi-official Tasnim News Agency issued a statement debunking rumors that the blast was a targeted attack on a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, calling such claims “completely false.”
Heightened Regional Tensions
The explosion comes at a time of significant geopolitical friction. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated recently following the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier group to the region and the return of “maximum pressure” rhetoric from the United States.
Israeli officials, speaking anonymously to international news agencies, have denied any involvement in the incident.
This blast was not the only tragedy to strike Iran on Saturday; media reports also confirmed a separate gas explosion in the city of Ahvaz, which reportedly claimed the lives of four additional people.
