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There was no military-related cargo in the area affected by the Rajaei Port fire, Iran’s defense ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, according to state television.
"Based on the investigations and documents, no imported or exported military material existed in the blast zone," Reza Talaei-Nik added.
He accused foreign media of “spreading false claims” and added that the main and secondary causes of the explosion would be announced after a full review with relevant agencies.
The metal structure of the burning containers at Rajaei Port makes it difficult to extinguish the fire with water, Tehran Fire Department Chief Ghodratollah Mohammadi told Entekhab news outlet on Sunday.
"The contents must burn out completely before we can remove the containers," he added. Mohammadi said about 75 percent of the fire had been contained but warned that mixed cargoes, including possible chemicals, complicate the situation. He added that it remains unclear whether the smoke poses a chemical hazard and final conclusions must await official tests.
More than 10,000 containers may have been destroyed in the Rajaei Port fire due to poor regulation of hazardous materials, parliamentary construction committee head Mohammad Reza Rezaei Kouchi said during a visit to the port on Sunday, ILNA reported.
He said the lack of separation between flammable and non-flammable goods worsened the disaster, with heat causing some containers to explode before the flames reached them.
Rezaei Kouchi criticized the Ports and Maritime Organization for failing to enforce storage standards and operating for months without a permanent chief.
Some victims of the Rajaei Port explosion have been identified through facial recognition and available images, Hormozgan Province Judiciary Chief Mojtaba Gahremani said on Sunday.
"Due to the severity of the injuries, advanced DNA testing is required for a number of bodies," Gahremani added.
He urged families of missing persons to report to the forensic medical organization for assistance in identification efforts.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian after the deadly explosion at Rajaei Port.
"We extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to you, the families of the victims, and the noble people of Iran," King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said in a message published Sunday.
He also wished the Iranian people safety and protection from further harm.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent similar condolences to Pezeshkian.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry had earlier issued a separate statement expressing sympathy over the blast.
