Iran's interior minister on Monday blamed negligence and safety failures for a massive explosion at the country’s largest commercial port that has left at least 70 people dead and over 1,000 injured.
The blast, which struck the Shahid Rajaee Port near the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, caused a massive fire that firefighters were still battling two days later, according to state media.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, the crisis management director for Hormozgan province, confirmed the rising death toll and said firefighting efforts were "almost in final stages." He added that most of the injured had been treated and discharged from hospitals.
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni told state television that "culprits have been identified and summoned," citing "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence" as the causes behind the tragedy. He further noted that investigations were ongoing.
Footage aired by Iranian media showed thick black smoke and scattered low flames at the port, while helicopters hovered overhead as firefighters continued to douse the blaze. Images released by the Iranian Red Crescent captured scenes of devastation, with collapsed containers and charred debris strewn across the site.
Authorities declared Monday a national day of mourning, while three days of mourning commenced Sunday across Hormozgan province. All schools and offices in the vicinity have been ordered closed, and residents were advised to remain indoors and wear protective masks due to hazardous smoke.
The explosion originated at a hazardous and chemical materials storage depot, according to officials. CCTV footage circulating on social media appeared to show a gradual escalation: a small fire emitting orange-brown smoke near stacked containers, before a fireball erupted seconds later, scattering workers and nearby vehicles.
President Masoud Pezeshkian visited hospitals in the nearby city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday to meet with the injured and oversee emergency response efforts.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
While authorities have so far characterised the explosion as an accident, speculation persists. The New York Times quoted an individual linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying that sodium perchlorate — a chemical used in missile fuel — was the material that exploded. However, defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik dismissed such claims, insisting that no military-related cargo was stored or transported through the port.
The incident also coincided with sensitive high-level discussions between Iranian and US officials in Oman over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The Shahid Rajaee Port had previously been targeted in a suspected cyberattack by Israel in 2020, amid ongoing tensions between the two regional foes.
Meanwhile, Russia, a close ally of Iran, has dispatched specialists to assist in extinguishing the fires.
