Death toll in Iran's Bandar Abbas port blast rises to 70
Saturday's blast took place in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, Iran's biggest container hub. Efforts to put out the ensuing blaze have continued since with sporadic fires breaking out due to wind and flammable goods in the containers, some releasing toxic emissions in the area, according to state media.
"After putting the huge fire under control, rescue operations are underway" Iran's state media said, citing the governor of Hormozgan Province, in which Bandar Abbas is situated. "Removing containers could take up to two weeks", it added.
Iran's ISNA news agency cited its interior minister Eskandar Momeni as saying national operations to confront the fire in Shahid Rajaee had ended and the management of firefighting had been handed over to local authorities.
"Shortcomings in regards to not respecting security protocols have been identified and some of the individuals at fault have been summoned", Momeni said, according to state media.
An initial report by the investigative committee charged with the incident found shortcomings in adherence to principles of civil defence and security.
Around 22 people are missing and 22 bodies have not been identified yet, state TV cited the governor of Hormozgan as saying.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday ordered an investigation to "uncover any negligence or intent" behind the incident, an indication that authorities are not ruling out sabotage.
The incident occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events.
Iran's Infrastructure Communications Company said on Monday that a large cyber attack against the country's infrastructure had been repelled a day after the blast, without providing more detail.
Poor storage of chemicals in containers is suspected of having caused the explosion. A spokesperson for the crisis management organisation said on Saturday that earlier warnings had highlighted potential safety risks at the port.
Iran's defence ministry dismissed on Sunday international media reports suggesting the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iran says it held ‘frank' nuclear talks with European powers
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A European delegation leaving the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, following nuclear talks on July 25. ISTANBUL - Iranian diplomats said they held 'frank and detailed' nuclear talks on July 25 with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, who have threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran fails to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors. The meeting in Istanbul was the first since Israel launched an attack on Iran in June targeting key nuclear and military sites, sparking a 12-day war and leading Tehran to pull away from working with the UN watchdog. The European diplomats were seen leaving the Iranian consulate shortly before 1100 GMT (7pm in Singapore) after spending several hours inside. Israel's offensive – which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others and in which residential areas and military sites were struck – also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April. Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger a so-called 'snapback mechanism' under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal that would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran by the end of August. The sanctions trigger expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Kazem Gharibabadi, who attended the talks alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Mr Takht-Ravanchi, wrote on X that he had used the meeting to criticise the European stance on the 12-day conflict with Israel. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly He said the snapback mechanism had also been discussed, adding: 'It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue.' Mr Takht-Ravanchi told state news agency IRNA the Iranian side had demanded 'punitive sanctions' be lifted 'as soon as possible'. Before the talks, a European source said the three countries were preparing to trigger the mechanism 'in the absence of a negotiated solution'. The source urged Iran to make 'clear gestures' on uranium enrichment and resuming cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. 'Common ground' Mr Gharibabadi warned earlier in the week that triggering sanctions – which would deepen Iran's international isolation and place further pressure on its already strained economy – would be 'completely illegal'. He accused European powers of 'halting their commitments' under the 2015 deal, which the United States unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term. 'We have warned them of the risks, but we are still seeking common ground to manage the situation,' said Mr Gharibabadi. Iranian diplomats have previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has urged European powers to trigger the mechanism. Israel's June 13 attack on Iran came two days before Tehran and Washington were scheduled to meet for a sixth round of nuclear negotiations. On June 22, the US joined Israel's offensive by striking Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz. Before the war, the US and Iran were divided over uranium enrichment – with Tehran describing it as a 'non-negotiable' right, while Washington called it a 'red line'. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran is enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity – far above the 3.67 per cent cap under the 2015 deal and close to weapons-grade levels. Tehran has said it is open to discussing the rate and level of enrichment, but not the right to enrich uranium. A year after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its commitments, which had placed restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel and Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied. 'New form' Iran insists it will not abandon its nuclear programme, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi describing the position as 'unshakable'. Though he claimed enrichment had come to a halt because of 'serious and severe' damage to nuclear sites caused by US and Israeli strikes, the full extent of the damage sustained in the US bombing remains unclear. Mr Trump claimed at the time the sites had been 'completely destroyed', but US media reports based on Pentagon assessments cast doubt on the scale of destruction . Since the 12-day war, Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks. Inspectors have since left the country but a technical team is expected to return in the coming weeks after Iran said future cooperation would take a 'new form'. Israel has warned it may resume strikes if Iran rebuilds facilities or moves toward weapons capability. Iran has pledged a 'harsh response' to any future attacks. AFP
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iran lawmaker points to threat of regional insecurity if UN sanctions are reimposed
Iranian deputy foreign ministers and British, French and German diplomats are expected to meet in Istanbul on July 25. – Iran could withhold security commitments if European states invoke a UN mechanism to reimpose international sanctions on the Islamic republic, a member of Iran's parliamentary national security commission said on July 21, according to Borna news. 'We have many tools... We can withhold our commitment to security in the region, Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait, as well as other maritime areas,' Mr Abbas Moqtadaei said in reference to Tehran's potential countermeasures to the reimposition of international sanctions. He was speaking ahead of a meeting on July 25 between Iranian deputy foreign ministers and British, French and German diplomats in Istanbul. The three European states, known as E3, have said they would restore international sanctions on Iran by the end of August if it did not enter productive talks on its nuclear programme with Western powers, notably the US. E3 countries and Iran have in recent months held inconclusive talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, in parallel with indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Israel's attack on Iran in June led to the suspension of such talks. 'Europe is not in a position to endanger itself in the... Hormuz Strait when it is itself in political, economic and cultural conflicts with Russia, China and even the United States,' Mr Moqtadaei said in an interview with Iran's semi-official Borna news agency. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Last week, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tehran would react if the three European states invoked the UN snapback mechanism, which expires on Oct 18. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on July 20 that the E3 lack the legal standing to invoke the mechanism, arguing that their stance on Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June made them no longer participants in a 2015 nuclear deal to which the snapback mechanism is linked. The three European countries, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to the nuclear pact – from which the US withdrew in 2018 – that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear programme. In the past, Iran has used the threat of disrupting maritime transit in the Strait of Hormuz or no longer stopping Europe-bound drug trafficking as a means to push back against Western pressures on its nuclear programme. REUTERS
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
European-Iran nuclear talks kick off in Istanbul
Military personnel stand guard at a nuclear facility in the Zardanjan area of Isfahan, Iran, April 19, 2024, in this screengrab taken from video. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo ISTANBUL - Delegations have arrived at Iran's Istanbul consulate on Friday morning for face-to-face talks between Iran and the so-called E3 group of France, Britain and Germany, Reuters witness said. Senior diplomats from the E3 group are set to hold talks with Iran's negotiating team for the first time since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, aiming to gauge Tehran's appetite for a compromise to avert sanctions. Ahead of the talks, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran's position remained "firm and steadfast." "Our uranium enrichment will continue; we will not give up this right of the Iranian people," Araqchi said in a video carried by state media, adding that Friday's talks are "a continuation of previous discussions, and the world must understand that our position is clear and unchanged." REUTERS
