Iran's Interior Minister Cites Negligence in Catastrophic Port Blast as Toll Surges

As the aftermath of the explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port unfolds, authorities confirm negligence as a key factor. The incident has claimed at least 70 lives, with many more injured, leading to ongoing firefighting and cleanup efforts amid safety concerns.

Iran's interior minister has attributed negligence to the devastating explosion and subsequent fire at Shahid Rajaee port, the largest container port in the nation. Eskandar Momeni announced that the death toll has risen to at least 70, following the incident that occurred on Saturday, which also left over 1,000 others injured.

Momeni detailed that the explosion stemmed from "shortcomings," including a failure to adhere to safety protocols. Consequently, authorities have summoned several individuals for questioning regarding their roles in the incident. Reports indicate that a shipment of imported cargo ignited and exploded, leading to widespread chaos. However, the defence ministry dismissed media claims suggesting that the cargo involved was related to missile fuel.

On Monday, the crisis management director of Hormozgan province, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, reported that firefighting operations were nearing completion. Meanwhile, Hormozgan Governor Mohammad Ashouri Taziani forecasted that it could take a week or two to restore normalcy at the heavily affected 1,500 hectares (approximately 3,700 acres) of the port.

The Customs Administration has confirmed that the cargo that resulted in the explosion had not been officially registered or declared at the time of the incident. The CEO of the managing firm, Sina Marine and Port Services Development Company, attributed the cause to repeated failures in declaring hazardous materials appropriately.

The Iranian defence ministry, however, rejected allegations that the blast was connected to the mishandling of sodium perchlorate, a solid fuel for missiles, and accused foreign media sources of peddling misinformation. Nevertheless, private maritime consultancy Ambrey Intelligence stated that there had recently been a shipment of sodium perchlorate to the port and implicated improper handling as a potential cause of the explosion. Reports also emerged from unidentified sources connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, suggesting that the explosion was indeed linked to the hazardous cargo.