The death toll from the April 26 Shahid Rajaee Port explosion in Bandar Abbas has risen to 28, with 190 people still hospitalised, said Pir-Hossein Koulivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society on April 27.

The blast, which occurred on April 26 in the port area, continues to rage on throughout the port with firefighters and authorities working to put out the blaze. 

Koulivand revealed that over 1,000 people injured in the incident were transported to hospitals, the majority of whom have since been discharged following treatment, with another 20 of the injured remaining in intensive care units.

Hormozgan Governor Mohammad Ashouri announced three days of public mourning in response to the tragic incident. Iranian media have released the names of only 10 victims, as the remaining bodies remain unidentified due to the extensive damage sustained, according to videos seen by IntelliNews.

Head of the Hormozgan Judiciary, Mojtaba Ghahramani, said several bodies require advanced DNA testing due to being entirely incinerated in the initial blast. He called on the families of missing individuals to visit the Bandar Abbas Forensic Medicine Centre for assistance.

Disturbing eyewitness accounts from port employees describe the harrowing aftermath of the explosion. One employee, who sent a voice message to Intellinews on condition of anonymity, claimed that 23 out of 30 women working in his company’s office were killed as a result of the shock wave, many suffering severe injuries from the initial blast. Bodies remain trapped under rubble in other buildings, further complicating recovery efforts, he said.

Following the blast, residents speaking with IntelliNews have also reported burning eyes and respiratory issues, while the sky remains shrouded in smoke.

Fire Department Spokesperson Jalal Maleki announced on April 27, around noon, that the fire had been controlled, and smudging operations were now 90% complete. He stated that the fire caused significant damage, including the collapse of containers stacked on top of one another.

The Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, confirmed in the morning that operations at Shahid Rajaee Port were continuing, as only one section of the port had been affected by the fire.

The customs department also announced that formalities, including transit, export, and import, have resumed. Nevertheless, locals on social media claim that customs and port operations have come to a complete halt in the aftermath of the explosion.

An anonymous IRGC-linked source attributed the blast to sodium perchlorate—a key component of rocket fuel, however, that has neither been confirmed nor denied by authorities.

Meanwhile, maritime security company Embry pointed to improper transportation of military-grade rocket fuel as a potential cause. The port reportedly received a shipment of sodium perchlorate from China earlier this year.

Ebrahim Rezaei, Spokesperson for the parliament’s National Security Commission, rejected the reports, stressing that initial investigations indicate the explosion had no connection to the country's defence sector.

The Customs Department also announced that in the incident, export containers carrying bitumen and paraffin ignited and continue to burn. Additionally, several imported containers, including those containing chemicals, have also been affected by the fire.

The explosion coincided with the presence of Iran’s diplomatic delegation in Muscat for the third round of negotiations with the United States. The talks were initiated following a warning from US President Donald Trump, who threatened military action against Iran should diplomacy fail. Despite this, Trump expressed a preference for negotiations and indicated no urgency for an attack, a stance that disappointed Israel, which had been advocating for a more confrontational approach.

The timing of the explosion has sparked speculation about potential sabotage, with some pointing fingers at either the US or Israel. However, Iranian officials have firmly denied any connection between the incident and foreign interference.

While most morning newspapers in Iran dismissed the possibility of sabotage, the reform-leaning daily Ham-Mihan stood apart, suggesting the scenario might warrant further consideration.

In its editorial titled "About the Explosion," the newspaper wrote, "It is unlikely that the explosion accidentally coincided with the start of expert talks between Iran and the United States."

The author writes that although Trump is opposed to a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities at this stage of the negotiations, he may not have opposed non-military action by Israel. The newspaper interpreted Trump's remarks as giving Israel the authority to carry out sabotage operations. The newspaper warned of internal "betrayal," noting that Israel may not have been directly involved in the explosion and outsourced it to "infiltrators or groups close to Israel."