Fires at Iran’s largest commercial port, Bandar Abbas, have been extinguished two days after a massive explosion killed at least 70 people and injured more than 1,000, Iranian state media has reported, as questions linger as to the blast’s cause.
Only “120 wounded are still in hospital”, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is visiting the affected area, told state TV on Monday.
The blast took place on Saturday at Shahid Rajaei Port in Iran’s south near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.
Earlier, before the fires were put out, Iran’s state TV showed images of firefighters dousing the flames, saying the damage would be assessed after the fire is 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.
What caused the blast?
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 a depot storing hazardous chemical materials.
Momeni said on Monday that “culprits have been identified and summoned”, and that the blast was caused by “shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence”.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
In the face of external and expert speculation, Iran has denied reports that the blast was caused by a shipment of missile fuel.
National day of mourning declared
On Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian visited hospitals treating the wounded in Bandar Abbas. Since the explosion, authorities have ordered all schools and offices in the area closed and urged residents to avoid going outside “until further notice” and use protective masks when doing so.
Authorities declared Monday a national day of mourning, while three days of mourning began on Sunday in Hormozgan province.
The explosion took place as Iranian and US delegations met in Oman for high-level talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, with both sides reporting progress.
While Iranian authorities so far appear to be treating the explosion as an accident, it also comes against a backdrop of years of shadow war with regional enemy Israel. Iran has in the past accused Israel of being behind such attacks.
According to The Washington Post, Israel launched a cyberattack targeting the Shahid Rajaei Port in 2020.
Source: Al Jazeera & News Agencies