![Black smoke continues to rise after a massive explosion that ripped through the Shahid Rajaee Port while fire extinguishing efforts continue on April 27, 2025 in Hormozgan, Iran. [Meysam Mirzadeh - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AA-20250427-37767810-37767806-DEATH_TOLL_FROM_EXPLOSION_AT_SOUTHERN_IRAN_PORT_RISES_TO_28_WITH_1139_INJURED-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the immediate deployment of emergency specialists to Iran to assist Iranian authorities in containing the fire at Shahid Rajaee Port after a request from Tehran, the Russian Embassy announced on Sunday, Anadolu reports.
According to the embassy, several aircraft carrying teams from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are being dispatched to Iran.
“We wish success to the Russian rescuers and their Iranian counterparts in containing the fire and saving this strategic port for the Iranian economy and the lives of the people,” the embassy said.
The explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province on Saturday resulted in at least 25 deaths and 1,139 injuries, according to local sources.
Iranian State TV reported that the incident began with a fire in the container dock area, which escalated rapidly due to extreme heat and the presence of flammable materials.
The port, located near the city of Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz, is a critical hub for Iran’s maritime trade.
READ: Massive explosion rocks port in southern Iran, with cause under investigation