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Iran’s customs authority said on Saturday that hazardous goods and chemicals stored at Bandar Abbas port were likely the cause of the explosion at Shahid Rajaee terminal.
The blast occurred about two kilometers from the customs administration building, officials said.
Trucks that had completed customs formalities are being allowed to leave the port area, customs officials added.
The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) said in a statement that "the explosion had no connection with the refineries, fuel storage tanks, or oil pipelines related to this company in the area," and that "operations at facilities in Bandar Abbas are continuing without interruption." It added that firefighting and emergency teams from nearby oil companies were on standby to assist port authorities.
Iran’s Mehr News Agency, citing an informed source, reported Saturday that the talks in Muscat are not related to missile issues.
This comes after Reuters reported on Friday that the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran are not limited to Tehran’s disputed nuclear program but also include its missile program, citing an Iranian official with knowledge of the talks.
According to Reuters, following a second round of talks in Rome on April 19, Iranian negotiators were "persuaded that the US had accepted Tehran's position that it would not entirely end its enrichment program or surrender all the uranium it has enriched already".
However, the official said Iran’s missile program remained a big sticking point. "The only remaining point of disagreement in the general discussions and mutual understanding is the missile issue," Reuters quoted the official as saying.
Tasnim news agency reported separately that the blast at Shahid Rajaei port was due to a fuel tank explosion, prompting the deployment of rapid response teams. All port operations were temporarily suspended, it said.
Iran’s Minister of Culture Abbas Salehi represented the Islamic Republic at the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, appearing alongside global dignitaries in a rare display of Tehran’s diplomatic outreach.
Salehi was accompanied by Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, Iran’s ambassador to the Vatican, to pay respects to the late pontiff, who died Monday at the age of 88 after years of declining health.
Live broadcasts showed Salehi and Mokhtari standing near US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden during the ceremony. Footage also showed a heavy presence of Trump’s security personnel surrounding the Iranian representatives at St. Peter’s Square.
Separately, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations office in Geneva, signed a book of condolences at the Vatican’s permanent mission on Thursday, expressing Tehran’s sympathy, IRNA reported.
Pope Francis, remembered for championing interfaith dialogue, drew tributes from leaders across the world, reflecting the broad reach of his papacy.
