TEHRAN, Iran — March 7, 2026 — A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Iran early Saturday, with the epicenter located west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, according to the United States Geological Survey .
The tremor occurred at 03:18:12 Universal Time, which corresponds to about 6:48 a.m. local time in Iran . The USGS reported the quake at a depth of 10 kilometers .
The epicenter was recorded at 27.1417°N latitude and 55.5298°E longitude, approximately 74 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province . The location sits near the northern side of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway for global oil shipments .
Several smaller communities are located near the epicenter. The town of Bandar-e Laft is about 35 kilometers from the quake's center, while Dargahan lies approximately 56 kilometers away . Qeshm, a city on the island of the same name, is situated about 76 kilometers from the epicenter .
Authorities reported no casualties or damage in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake . A 4.1-magnitude earthquake is classified as light and typically causes mild shaking near the epicenter but rarely leads to serious destruction unless it occurs directly under populated areas .
The affected region lies within the Zagros fold and thrust belt, one of the most seismically active zones in the Middle East . This area experiences frequent earthquakes due to the ongoing collision between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates .
Iran ranks among the countries most vulnerable to earthquakes, sitting on multiple active fault lines . The country has experienced devastating seismic events in the past, including a 6.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Bam in 2003, killing at least 34,000 people .
The March 7 earthquake follows another tremor earlier this week in southern Iran. On March 3, a 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Gerash in Fars province, according to USGS data . That quake also occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and produced no immediate reports of casualties .
In July 2022, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Hormozgan province along the Persian Gulf coast, killing at least five people and injuring more than 80 .
Seismologists note that earthquakes of magnitude 4.1 are relatively common in this region and do not typically trigger major emergency responses unless they are followed by larger tremors. No aftershocks have been recorded so far following Saturday's event .
Bandar Abbas, the largest city near the epicenter, has a population of approximately 352,000 people and serves as a major naval and trading port for Iran .