The number of people injured in an explosion on Saturday at a port in southern Iran has risen to 281, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. IRNA reported that Mojtaba Khaledi, the spokesperson for Iran's National Emergency Organisation, provided the updated figure.

The blast took place at Rajaei port, located just outside Bandar Abbas. This port is an important hub for container shipments in Iran, handling around 80 million tons (72.5 million metric tons) of goods each year. Social media videos showed large clouds of black smoke after the explosion. Other videos showed glass being shattered in buildings located miles away from the blast's center. Authorities have not yet provided an explanation for the cause of the explosion. While industrial accidents are common in Iran, especially at its old oil facilities that face difficulties getting parts due to international sanctions, Iranian state TV has confirmed that no energy infrastructure was involved or damaged in the blast. 

Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, a disaster management official, told Iranian state TV that first responders were on their way to the area, and others were working to evacuate the site. He said the explosion happened at containers in Rajaei port, located in the city, but did not give more details. State TV also reported that a building collapsed because of the blast, but no further information was immediately available.

Rajaei Port is located about 1,050 kilometers southeast of Tehran, Iran’s capital. It sits on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, where 20% of the world’s traded oil passes through. The explosion happened on Saturday, at the same time Iran and the United States were holding their third round of talks in Oman about Tehran’s fast-growing nuclear program.