Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday visited injured victims of a port blast that killed at least 40 people, as Tehran denied a military cargo was being stored at the harbour.
Three days of mourning were declared after the blast at Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, home to the country's biggest commercial port. Officials said several containers had exploded after what they believed to be a fire at a chemical depot.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told officials on Sunday to “thoroughly investigate” the blast. He said in a message carried by state television that they should follow up on any “negligence or intent” they uncover.
Fires continued to rage on Sunday, as schools and offices were closed in Bandar Abbas to allow authorities to focus on the emergency response. People were told to avoid going outside “until further notice” and to wear protective masks as plumes of black smoke rose above the blast site.
State media reported late on Sunday that the death toll had risen from 28 to 40. More than 1,000 people sought treatment in the wake of the blast, some of them airlifted to Shiraz and Larestan cities for further care.
Mr Pezeshkian arrived in Bandar Abbas on Sunday to “closely monitor the handling” of the explosion and meet some of the wounded in hospital, official media said.
“We will try to take care of the families who lost their loved ones, and we will definitely take care of the dear people who got injured,” Mr Pezeshkian said. He had previously ordered an investigation into the cause of the explosion.
“We have to find out why it happened,” Mr Pezeshkian said during a meeting with officials aired by state television.
Russia's embassy in Iran said Moscow was sending multiple aircraft carrying “specialists” to help fight the blaze. President Vladimir Putin offered condolences over the loss of life, the Kremlin said.
The Russian emergency ministry said a Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft specialising in firefighting, as well as an Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane, would be sent to Iran to help out.
The blast occurred on Saturday at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran, near the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of world oil output passes.
Chemical depot
The port's customs office said in a statement carried by state television that the explosion probably resulted from a fire that broke out at the hazardous and chemical materials storage depot. A regional emergency official said several containers exploded.
Iran's Defence Ministry said there were “no military-related export or import cargoes” at the port. Brig Gen Reza Talaei-Nik dismissed reports to the contrary as “targeted misinformation and propaganda”.
“Based on investigations and documented evidence, there were and are no import or export shipments related to fuel or military use in the area affected by the fire at the port,” he said. He offered no explanation for what material detonated with such spectacular force, but said more information would be provided later.
“The public can rest assured that whatever the cause of the incident, we will announce it,” Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said on state television. “We will take action against those responsible and anyone who was negligent.”
Video showed thick black smoke over the scene. All operations were suspended at the port as firefighters battled to extinguish the flames.
Explosion rocks Iran's Bandar Abbas port – in pictures
“The fire is under control but still not out,” a state TV correspondent said from the site about 20 hours after the blast.
The explosion was so powerful it was felt and heard about 50 kilometres away, Fars news agency said. It caused extensive damage in the area, with the roof of one building collapsing on employees. The blast shattered windows within a radius of several kilometres, Iranian media reported.
Speaking on Sunday at the scene, Interior Minister Mr Momeni said “the situation has stabilised in the main areas” of the port. He told state TV that workers had resumed loading containers and customs clearances.
Images from Irna on Saturday showed rescuers and survivors walking along a wide boulevard carpeted with debris after the blast.
Flames could be seen engulfing a lorry's trailer, while a helicopter dropped water through vast black smoke clouds billowing from behind stacked shipping containers.
Quoting emergency services, state TV said hundreds of casualties “have been transferred to nearby medical centres”, while the provincial blood transfusion centre issued a call for donations.
Three Chinese citizens were “lightly injured”, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing its Bandar Abbas consulate. Mr Pezeshkian said he had “issued an order to investigate the situation and the causes”.
With smoke and air pollution spreading throughout the area, all schools and offices in Bandar Abbas were ordered to be closed on Sunday.
The state-owned National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company said in a statement that the explosion “has no connection” to its facilities, reporting no interruption to its work in Bandar Abbas.
US talks
The blast came as Iranian and US delegations met in Oman for high-level talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Saturday, with both sides reporting progress.
While Iranian authorities so far appear to be treating the blast as an accident, it comes against the backdrop of years of shadow war with regional foe Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading the talks with the US, had said on Wednesday that “our security services are on high alert given past instances of attempted sabotage and assassination operations designed to provoke a legitimate response”.
In 2020, computers at the same port were hit by a cyber attack that caused traffic jams on waterways and roads leading to the base.
Hossein Zafari, a spokesman for Iran's crisis management organisation, appeared to blame Saturday's explosion on the poor storage of chemicals in containers.
“The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” he told the Irna news agency. “Previously, the director general of crisis management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger.”
Another crisis management official told state TV “the cause of this incident was the explosion of several containers stored in the Shahid Rajaee port wharf area”.
An Iranian government representative said that, although chemicals had probably caused the blast, it was not yet possible to determine the exact reason.
The UAE's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing solidarity with Iran and its people, wishing a speedy recovery for all the injured, state news agency Wam reported. Saudi Arabia also sent condolences.
Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan province, is Iran's main southern port city and is vital to the global oil industry.
The port handles a significant portion of Iran's container traffic and is equipped to accommodate large vessels.
First Person
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Chatto & Windus
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Tips to keep your car cool
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- Park in shaded or covered areas
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- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
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UK’s AI plan
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Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
Torque: 450Nm
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Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
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Friday December 28
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Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20UAE%20men%E2%80%99s%20cricketer%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWhen%20he%20debuted%20against%20Bangladesh%20aged%2016%20years%20and%20314%20days%2C%20he%20became%20the%20youngest%20ever%20to%20play%20for%20the%20men%E2%80%99s%20senior%20team.%20He%20broke%20the%20record%20set%20by%20his%20World%20Cup%20squad-mate%2C%20Alishan%20Sharafu%2C%20of%2017%20years%20and%2044%20days.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20wicket-taker%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20taking%20the%20wicket%20of%20Bangladesh%E2%80%99s%20Litton%20Das%20on%20debut%20in%20Dubai%2C%20Aayan%20became%20the%20youngest%20male%20cricketer%20to%20take%20a%20wicket%20against%20a%20Full%20Member%20nation%20in%20a%20T20%20international.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20in%20T20%20World%20Cup%20history%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAayan%20does%20not%20turn%2017%20until%20November%2015%20%E2%80%93%20which%20is%20two%20days%20after%20the%20T20%20World%20Cup%20final%20at%20the%20MCG.%20If%20he%20does%20play%20in%20the%20competition%2C%20he%20will%20be%20its%20youngest%20ever%20player.%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20Mohammed%20Amir%2C%20who%20was%2017%20years%20and%2055%20days%20when%20he%20played%20in%202009%2C%20currently%20holds%20the%20record.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
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2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
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2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mane points for safe home colouring
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Desert Warrior
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The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
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- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals
To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
