Interior minister blames ‘negligence' for Iran port blast that killed 46
The blast took place on Saturday at the Shahid Rajaee Port in Iran's south near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.
'The death toll in the Shahid Rajaee Port fire has reached 46,' the official IRNA news agency reported, quoting Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, the crisis management director for Hormozgan province.
Officials have said more than 1,000 people were injured, with Hassanzadeh noting most had since been released after treatment.
Only '120 wounded are still in hospital,' Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is in the area, told state TV on Monday.
He added that 'culprits have been identified and summoned,' and that the blast was caused by 'shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence.'
Iran's state TV showed images of firefighters still dousing the flames Monday, and said the damage would be assessed after the fire was fully brought under control.
Heavy charcoal-black smoke continued to billow over low flames at part of the site, above which a firefighting helicopter flew, pictures from the Iranian Red Crescent showed.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a probe into the incident.
It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion but the port's customs office said it likely resulted from a fire that broke out at the hazardous and chemical materials storage depot.
CCTV images on social media showed it began gradually, with a small fire belching orange-brown smoke among a few containers stacked outside, across from a warehouse.
A small forklift truck drives past the area and men can be seen walking nearby.
About one minute after the small fire and smoke become visible, a fireball erupts as vehicles pass nearby, with men running for their lives.
President Masoud Pezeshkian visited hospitals treating the wounded on Sunday in the nearby city of Bandar Abbas.
Since the explosion, authorities have ordered all schools and offices in the area closed, and have urged residents to avoid going outside 'until further notice' and to use protective masks.
The New York Times quoted a person with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters, as saying that what exploded was sodium perchlorate — a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles.
Defense ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik later told state TV that 'there has been no imported or exported cargo for military fuel or military use in the area.'
Iran's ally Russia has dispatched specialists to help battle the blazes.
Authorities have declared Monday a national day of mourning, while three days of mourning began Sunday in Hormozgan province, where the port is located.
The blast occurred as Iranian and US delegations were meeting in Oman for high-level talks on Tehran's nuclear program, with both sides reporting progress.
While Iranian authorities so far appear to be treating the blast as an accident, it also comes against the backdrop of years of shadow war with regional foe Israel.
According to The Washington Post, Israel launched a cyberattack targeting the Shahid Rajaee Port in 2020.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
7 hours ago
- Leaders
IAEA Official to Visit Iran to Restore Ties but No Inspections Planned
Iran announced that the Deputy Head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog will visit Tehran in an attempt to revive the bilateral relations that witnessed souring tensions since Israel's attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, according to Reuters. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi noted that the International Atomic Energy Agency will not have any access to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities during the visit. Today's visit marks the first tour following Israel and Iran's 12-day war in June that had struck Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran & IAEA Relations Iranian relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have deteriorated since the United States and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June in order to eliminate Iran's nuclear program. In June, the Iranian Guardian Council approved a law suspending Tehran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, Arab News reported. According to the new law, the IAEA should have approval by the Supreme National Security Council for any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites. 'For us, IAEA inspectors approaching nuclear sites has both a security aspect … and the safety of the inspectors themselves is a matter that must be examined,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said. He also told Tehran-based diplomats that Iran's cooperation with the nuclear watchdog has not stopped. However, it will take a new form and will be guided and managed through the Supreme National Security Council. This legislative move came as a response to a series of escalations that began on June 13, when Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran under the name of Operation Rising Lion. The military campaign targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists. Consequently, the US launched several airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Related Topics: US Has Bank of Potential Military Targets in Iran: Col. Dahouk IAEA to Visit Iran Within Next Two Weeks Iran-Europe Nuclear Talks Loom as Sanctions Deadline Nears Short link : Post Views: 7
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Saudi Gazette
IAEA deputy chief to visit Tehran for cooperation talks amid nuclear standoff
TEHRAN — The deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit Tehran on Monday for talks on a potential cooperation framework, Iran's foreign minister said Sunday. 'A deputy director general of [Rafael] Grossi will come to Tehran tomorrow, while there are no plans to visit any nuclear sites until we reach a framework, and [our] bilateral cooperation will not begin,' Abbas Araghchi told reporters after a cabinet meeting, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. He said negotiations with the IAEA will focus on setting the terms for renewed engagement. On June 25, Iran's parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, accusing it of bias toward Israel and the United States amid recent attacks on the country. Araghchi added that Iran's contacts with European countries 'are continuing,' but dismissed threats from European signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to trigger the snapback mechanism restoring UN sanctions. 'Our position is that snapback is not relevant. In our opinion, Europe is not considered a participant in the JCPOA,' he said. The remarks come after Oman-mediated nuclear talks between Iran and the United States were disrupted when Israel launched a surprise attack on June 13, targeting military, nuclear, and civilian sites as well as senior commanders and nuclear scientists. Tehran responded with missile and drone strikes, while the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. The 12-day escalation ended with a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on June 24. — Agencies
Leaders
4 days ago
- Leaders
Trump, Putin May Meet Next Week to Discuss Ukraine Peace
President Donald Trump could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, according to a White House official, as the US plans to impose secondary sanctions on Russia, aiming to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. This meeting would mark the first face-to-face encounter between a sitting US president and Putin since Joe Biden's meeting in Geneva in June 2021, eight months before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the largest attack on a European nation since World War II. Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and openly express disdain for each other. The New York Times reported that Trump informed European leaders during a call on Wednesday about his intention to meet with Putin. He also plans a trilateral meeting involving Zelenskiy. Moreover, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed, 'The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskiy.' Progress in Talks A German government spokesperson stated that Trump updated European leaders on the status of talks with Russia during a call with the German chancellor, following a meeting between Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, which Trump described as achieving 'great progress.' However, this development comes just two days before Trump's deadline for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Trump has expressed frustration with Putin over the lack of progress and threatened heavy tariffs on countries purchasing Russian exports, including oil. Despite positive discussions, the White House official confirmed that secondary sanctions against countries doing business with Russia are still set to be implemented on Friday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need for further efforts to reach an agreement, stating, 'Today was a good day, but we have a lot of work ahead.' Furthermore, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that both sides exchanged 'signals' regarding Ukraine and discussed potential strategic cooperation but he withheld further details until Witkoff reported back to Trump. Zelenskiy's Optimism Zelenskiy expressed cautious optimism, declaring that pressure on Russia seems to be working, stating, 'It seems that Russia is now more inclined to a ceasefire. The pressure on them works.' He urged that both Ukraine and the US must not be misled by Russia's intentions. On Wednesday, Trump took a significant step toward punitive measures by imposing a 25% tariff on imports from India due to its continued purchases of Russian oil, raising tariffs on some Indian goods to as high as 50%, among the steepest faced by any US trading partner. The Kremlin has condemned these threats as illegal. Consequently, reports suggest that the Kremlin might propose a moratorium on airstrikes by both Russia and Ukraine, a suggestion made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. While this would not fulfill the full ceasefire sought by Ukraine and the US, it could provide some relief. As tensions continue, the prospect of a Trump-Putin meeting raises hopes for progress in the ongoing conflict. However, skepticism remains regarding the effectiveness of sanctions and the willingness of both leaders to compromise. Short link : Post Views: 6
