An explosion in Bandar Abbas on Saturday killed at least one person and injured 14; the cause remains unknown and officials say the incident is under investigation. Tasnim rejected social media claims that a Revolutionary Guard navy commander was the target.
Separately, a gas blast in Ahvaz killed four. Two Israeli officials denied involvement in the incidents, which come amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions and nationwide protests that Iranian officials say have left thousands dead.
Jan 31 (Reuters) - An explosion in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday killed at least one person and wounded 14, a local official told Iranian news agencies. The cause of the blast remained unclear and authorities said the incident was under investigation.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency dismissed social media reports that a Revolutionary Guard navy commander had been targeted, calling those claims "completely false." Iranian outlets said officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Separately, the state-run Tehran Times reported a gas explosion in Ahvaz, near the Iraqi border, that killed four people. No further details were immediately available.
Two Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel was not involved in Saturday's blasts. The incidents occurred amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests and disputes over the country's nuclear programme.
U.S. President Donald Trump had warned on Thursday that an "armada" was heading toward Iran, and multiple sources said he was weighing options that could include targeted strikes on security forces. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused U.S., Israeli and European leaders of exploiting Iran's economic problems and inciting unrest to "tear the nation apart."
Bandar Abbas, home to Iran's most important container port, sits on the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, a strategic waterway that handles about one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil. The port was hit by a major explosion last April that killed dozens and injured more than 1,000 people; investigators then cited shortcomings in civil defence and security practices.
Iran has been shaken by nationwide protests since December over economic hardship. An Iranian official told Reuters the unrest has cost at least 5,000 lives, including roughly 500 members of the security forces.
What’s next: Local authorities have opened an investigation into the Bandar Abbas blast. Details remain limited and official confirmations are pending.
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