Iran’s interior minister has attributed the deadly explosion and fire at the nation’s largest container port to negligence, as the official death toll climbed to at least 70.
On Saturday, Eskandar Momeni reported that the incident at Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas, which left more than 1,000 people injured, resulted from “failures, including inadequate safety measures and negligence.”
He further stated that “some individuals considered responsible” for the disaster have been summoned for investigation.
Customs officials indicated the explosion originated from imported cargo that ignited and subsequently detonated. Iran’s defence ministry has rejected external claims alleging the cargo consisted of missile fuel chemicals.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of crisis management for Hormozgan province, announced on Monday that firefighting efforts at the port were “nearing completion.”
Hormozgan’s governor, Mohammad Ashouri Taziani, stated ongoing clearance at the site could take several more days, and estimated a return to normal operations may require one to two weeks.
He assessed that approximately 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres)—representing almost two-thirds of the port facility—were heavily damaged in the blast.
The Customs Administration reported that the consignment behind the explosion had not been officially registered or declared prior to the incident, according to Isna news agency.
Sina Marine and Port Services Development Company, which managed the affected section, attributed the blast to “a recurring and critical error involving false hazardous goods declarations.”
In a separate statement, Iran’s defence ministry reiterated that the explosion was not linked to mishandling of a sodium perchlorate shipment, a compound used in solid missile fuel.
Ministry spokesperson Brig Gen Reza Talai-Nik said on Sunday that “there have not been, nor are there, any military-use fuel shipments or related cargo at or around the site,” and accused foreign outlets of disseminating “misinformation.”
However, Ambrey Intelligence, a maritime security consultancy, informed the Associated Press that the port had received a sodium perchlorate delivery in the previous month and that the explosion was “reportedly caused by improper handling.”
The New York Times, citing a source with connections to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, also reported that sodium perchlorate was involved in the explosion.