A former Iranian lawmaker said the company linked to the deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion may have misdeclared hazardous cargo as ordinary goods to reduce costs, state media reported on Tuesday.
Ali Motahari said, “According to reports, the main cause of the incident was a company that registered imported goods as non-hazardous. That is the first violation, and the customs inspection office should have verified the report.”
He added that transporting and storing dangerous goods requires strict oversight. “There may have been negligence in this area as well,” Motahari said.
He also questioned whether it was appropriate to store so many containers in one area of the port. “We must examine how this is handled in major ports around the world and learn from international practices,” he said.
Motahari warned that the importer may have misdeclared the cargo for financial gain. “The full facts are not yet clear, but this must be investigated thoroughly, and those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.
