IRAN JAN 31 : An explosion struck an eight‑storey building in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, destroying two floors and damaging several vehicles and shops in the vicinity, state media reported. The blast hit a structure on Moallem Boulevard, leaving its facade blown out and exposing parts of the interior, with debris scattered across the area.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear, with Iranian authorities saying it is under investigation. Hormozgan province’s director general of crisis management, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, told the official IRNA news agency that those injured in the incident were being taken to hospital by emergency responders, and no fatalities had been reported so far.
Semi‑official Tasnim news agency dismissed social media claims that the blast targeted a Revolutionary Guard navy commander, describing them as “completely false.” State television broadcast images showing extensive damage to the building’s exterior, while other Iranian outlets carried similar reports without specifying the source of the blast.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, following a crackdown on the largest protests to hit Iran in three years and ongoing Western concerns over the country’s nuclear programme. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a strong military response, while Iran’s army chief has put the country’s armed forces on high alert in the Gulf region.
