Bandar Abbas

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Lore & Background

From 1794 to 1868, Bandar Abbas was under the control of the Sultanate of Oman and Zanzibar through a lease agreement with Persia. The details of the original lease apparently differed between the Arabic and Persian versions. The Omanis controlled the coastal stretch of some 100 miles from Sadij to Khamir, and inland about 30 miles, as far as Shamil. They also controlled the islands of Hormuz and Qeshm. In 1823, the Persians attempted to oust the Omanis, but the sultan managed to keep his hold on Bandar through bribery and tribute of the governor of Shiraz. In 1845–1846, an army under the governor-general of Fars menaced Bandar to extort tribute, while another army under the governor of Kerman besieged Minab. The Omanis threatened to blockade Persia, but the British resident at Bushir convinced them to back down. The Persians recovered the city in 1854, while the sultan was in Zanzibar. Under British pressure following the Anglo-Persian War in 1856, Persia renewed Oman's lease on favourable terms. Under British pressure the agreement was renewed in 1868, but at a higher rate of rent and for a shorter duration. Two months after its renewal, the lease was cancelled by the Persian government, citing a clause which permitted its termination if the sultan of Oman were overthrown. Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi paid particular attention to Bandar Abbas as a strategic port, and during his time the government invested huge amounts of capital in its infrastructure. Before initial plans to develop it as a major harbour, Bandar Abbas was a small fishing port with approximately 17,000 residents in 1955. By 2001, it had grown into a major city. It has a population of 450,000 (2011 estimate).

Reader's Guide

Bandar Abbas serves as a major shipping point, mostly for imports, and has a long history of trade with India, particularly the port of Surat. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz (just across from Musandam Governorate, Oman). It is the location of the main base and headquarters of the Iranian Navy. In 1977, the bulk of the fleet of the Iranian Navy was shifted from Khorramshahr to its new headquarters, naval base, and naval airbase at Bandar Abbas. The city has become home to a diverse population representing nearly all Iranian ethnic groups. People from Iranian provinces such as Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Luristan, Baluchistan, Kerman, Yazd, Isfahan, Fars, Gilan and Mazanadaran have significantly contributed to the city’s economic development. On 27 April, 2025, a powerful explosion at Iran's biggest port of Bandar Abbas occurred. The death toll was reported to be at least 28, with more than 700 people injured. In May 2025, a nationwide strike by truck drivers in Iran began in Bandar Abbas and spread to multiple provinces, including Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran, and Kermanshah. The strike was reportedly triggered by rising insurance premiums, poor road security, a proposed hike in fuel prices, and low freight rates. The planned increase would raise diesel fuel prices from approximately $0.04 to $0.50 per liter. On 21 June, 2025 during the Iran-Israel War the Israeli air force conducted airstrikes on the port aiming at drone storage sites and a weapons facility. On 31 January 2026, a strong explosion hit a building in Bandar Abbas, causing major damage. According to unofficial sources, commander Alireza Tangsiri was the intended target of the incident.

Did You Know?

• The earliest record of Bandar Abbas is during the reign of Darius the Great (between 522 and 486 BC), when his commander Scylax embarked from there to India and the Red Sea.
• The Portuguese named the city Comorão due to the presence of lobsters and crabs on its shores.
• In 1625, a combined Anglo-Dutch fleet attacked the Portuguese at Bandar Abbas and took control of the trade posts.
• Bandar Abbas was under the control of the Sultanate of Oman and Zanzibar through a lease agreement with Persia from 1794 to 1868.
• An earthquake in July 1902 damaged parts of the city, including the governor's house and the customs office, and nearby Qeshm Island.

Strategic Geography & Naval Significance

Bandar Abbas is a port on the southern coast of the country, on the Persian Gulf. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz (just across from Musandam Governorate, Oman). It is the location of the main base and headquarters of the Iranian Navy. In 1977, the bulk of the fleet of the Iranian Navy was shifted from Khorramshahr to its new headquarters, naval base, and naval airbase at Bandar Abbas. Bandar Abbas serves as a major shipping point, mostly for imports, and has a long history of trade with India, particularly the port of Surat.

Portuguese Conquest & Shah Abbas's Liberation

By the 16th century, Bandar Abbas was known as Gamrūn to the Persians. Bandar Abbas was conquered by the Portuguese in 1514, and was an important location to protect their commerce in the Persian Gulf and India. They named the city Comorão, due to the presence of lobsters and crabs on its shores. In 1614, Comorão was taken by Shah Abbas the Great from the Portuguese. In 1622, Shah Abbas defeated Portuguese troops in the region with the help of the English Navy and the Persian commander Imam Quli Khan; the city was renamed Bandar-e Abbas ('Port of Abbas'). Backed by the English Navy, Abbas developed the city (known to the English-speaking world as Gombraun) into a major port. By 1622, the Portuguese and English names had been officially combined to form Combrù or Combu, although the inhabitants still called it Bandar-e Abbas. Sir Thomas Herbert said the official English name was Gumbrown, but pronounced [gŏmrōōn]. He wrote in 1630 that 'some (but I commend them not) write it Gamrou, others Gomrow, and othersome Cummeroon.' By the 1670s, the city was known as Gameroon or Gumbroon.

Omani Lease & Persian Reclamation

Between 1794 and 1868, Bandar Abbas was under the control of the Sultanate of Oman and Zanzibar through a lease agreement with Persia. The details of the original lease apparently differed between the Arabic and Persian versions. The Omanis controlled the coastal stretch of some 100 miles from Sadij to Khamir, and inland about 30 miles, as far as Shamil. They also controlled the islands of Hormuz and Qeshm. In 1823, the Persians attempted to oust the Omanis, but the sultan managed to keep his hold on Bandar through bribery and tribute of the governor of Shiraz. In 1845–1846, an army under the governor-general of Fars menaced Bandar to extort tribute, while another army under the governor of Kerman besieged Minab. The Omanis threatened to blockade Persia, but the British resident at Bushir convinced them to back down. The Persians recovered the city in 1854, while the sultan was in Zanzibar. Under British pressure following the Anglo-Persian War in 1856, Persia renewed Oman's lease on favourable terms. It was clarified that the leased territory belonged to the province of Fars and that the Persian flag would fly over Bandar Abbas. The rental rate was also increased. Under British pressure the agreement was renewed in 1868, but at a higher rate of rent and for a shorter duration. Two months after its renewal, the lease was cancelled by the Persian government, citing a clause which permitted its termination if the sultan of Oman were overthrown.

Modern Transformation & Recent Turmoil

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi paid particular attention to Bandar Abbas as a strategic port, and during his time the government invested huge amounts of capital in its infrastructure. Before initial plans to develop it as a major harbour, Bandar Abbas was a small fishing port with approximately 17,000 residents in 1955. By 2001, it had grown into a major city. It has a population of 450,000 (2011 estimate). On 27 April, 2025, a powerful explosion at Iran's biggest port of Bandar Abbas occurred. The death toll was reported to be at least 28, with more than 700 people injured. In May 2025, a nationwide strike by truck drivers in Iran began in Bandar Abbas and spread to multiple provinces, including Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran, and Kermanshah, according to reports from social media monitoring groups and Persian-language media based abroad. The strike was reportedly triggered by rising insurance premiums, poor road security, a proposed hike in fuel prices, and low freight rates. The planned increase would raise diesel fuel prices from approximately $0.04 to $0.50 per liter. On 21 June, 2025 during the Iran-Israel War the Israeli air force conducted airstrikes on the port aiming at drone storage sites and a weapons facility. On 31 January 2026, a strong explosion hit a building in Bandar Abbas, causing major damage. According to unofficial sources, commander Alireza Tangsiri was the intended target of the incident.