Fire triggered Bandar Abbas port explosion – state media

Sabotage is considered unlikely in the explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaei port, a national crisis management spokesman said on Saturday, citing earlier official safety warnings issued for the site.

Hossein Zafari told ILNA news agency that chemical materials stored inside containers were likely the cause of the blast and that previous inspections had flagged safety concerns. "Past warnings about the port’s safety reduce the likelihood of sabotage," Zafari said.

He urged the public to rely on official sources for updates, warning that widespread rumors were circulating. "The volume of rumors is so high that we are forced to clarify even obvious matters," he added.

Zafari said toxic smoke from the fire was hampering rescue efforts and that the full cause would be determined after the fire was brought under control. No confirmed death toll has been announced yet, but the shockwave was felt up to 50 kilometers away.

Iran said on Saturday it remains "steadfast" in its demand for the lifting of sanctions and reiterated its readiness to build trust over the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, as a third round of indirect talks with the United States got underway in Muscat.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran remains steadfast in its principled position regarding the need to end unjust sanctions and its readiness to build trust,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said.

Talks began around 10 a.m. local time, with Iranian and US delegations meeting in separate rooms under Omani mediation, he said.

Baghaei added that a technical Iranian team of experts in sanctions, nuclear issues, and IAEA affairs is also present at the talks.

He stressed that “respect for Iran’s legitimate rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and providing assurances about the effective lifting of sanctions” were necessary to reach any understanding.

Iranian officials said several scenarios are being investigated as possible causes of the explosion at Shahid Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas, and the exact reason has not yet been confirmed.

Mohammad Ashouri, governor of Hormozgan province, said, "Several scenarios are being examined by the relevant authorities, and the cause will be announced once confirmed."

Following the blast, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammadreza Aref ordered an urgent investigation, speaking separately by phone with the provincial governor and the head of the Red Crescent. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni also called for a special inquiry and dispatched the head of the National Crisis Management Organization to the area.

Iran’s customs authority has ordered all customs offices to halt the dispatch of export and transit shipments to Bandar Abbas’s Shahid Rajaei port until further notice, local media reported on Saturday.

Earlier, customs officials said trucks that had already completed customs formalities were being allowed to leave the port area.

The number of people injured in the explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaei port has risen to 281, Babak Yektaperest, spokesman for Iran’s emergency services, said on Saturday.

Many of the injured were transferred to hospitals across Hormozgan province, local outlets said.