An explosion occurred in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, January 31, Iranian media reported. It said the explosion was under investigation.
Tasnim said reports on social media that a Revolutionary Guards navy commander was the target of the explosion were “totally false,” Reuters reported.
The port of Bandar Abbas lies in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway between Iran and Oman that carries about a fifth of the world’s marine oil.
Tensions between Iran and the US
The reported explosion comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington after Iranian authorities cracked down on the country’s biggest protests in three years, as well as lingering Western concerns over Iran’s nuclear program.
Nationwide protests erupted in December over economic woes and have posed one of the toughest challenges to the country’s spiritual rulers.
At least 5,000 people have been killed in the protests, including 500 members of the security forces, an Iranian official told Reuters.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that an “army” was heading towards Iran. Several sources said Friday that Trump is considering options against Iran that include targeted attacks on security forces.
Earlier on Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused US, Israeli and European leaders of taking advantage of Iran’s economic problems, fomenting unrest and giving people the means to “tear the nation apart”.
(This is a developing story. Keep checking back for more updates)
