Port operations back to normal, official says

A repair technician with 15 years of experience at Iran's Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas told Iran International that the real death toll from the April 26 explosion could exceed 300 people, including undocumented workers and administrative staff.

"I work as a repair technician and move throughout the entire port," he said. "I know what I’m talking about. The number of dead, including the missing, is over 300."

He said the victims included contract workers from Sina Marine and Port Services company, day laborers who are not officially registered for insurance or taxes, and are paid through off-book bank accounts, as well as undocumented Afghan and Baluch workers who enter the port through side walls to avoid being seen by guards.

He added that 23 women working in the administrative building of the Sina company, located about 200 meters from the blast site, have not been accounted for. "No one has been found from that building—not even the guards or the kitchen staff. Not even the bodies have been returned," he said.

He also described the presence of truck drivers and their companions at the time of the blast. "There were around 80 trucks there, many with drivers' spouses or assistants inside," he said.

The technician said several hours after the explosion, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence officers entered the port and removed or sank around 50 containers that had not exploded but were in the path of the fire. "Some containers were thrown into the sea, others moved to a separate area inside the port complex," he said.

Transport officials in Iran say normal operations have been resumed in the Persian Gulf port of Bandar Abbas are back to normal four day after a huge explosion.

"Loading, unloading, and cargo declaration activities at Rajai Port have returned to normal conditions," Iran's head of Road Transport and Highways Organisation said on Wednesday.

Iran’s leading hardline daily Kayhan has accused the United States of delegating an aggressive posture to European nations in a coordinated effort to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program.

In a strongly worded editorial published Wednesday, Kayhan said European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — were playing the role of the "bad cop" in what it described as a calculated division of labor, with the United States acting as the "good cop" seeking a diplomatic solution.

“This scenario was written in Washington and is being carried out in Paris, Berlin, and London,” the editorial read, referring to recent remarks by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who warned that Europe may trigger the snapback mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.

“Europe has done nothing but follow the US line,” Kayhan said, calling the snapback mechanism a tool of political blackmail.

Iran is entering nuclear negotiations from a position of strength and talks are progressing well, an Iranian member of parliament said on Wednesday, while cautioning those profiting from sanctions against undermining the discussions.

Mohammad Sadat Ebrahimi told parliament that Israel should understand Iran is negotiating from a position of power, adding that the talks have so far proceeded positively.

He warned those benefiting from the continuation of sanctions not to disparage the ongoing negotiations.

Iran has told the UN Security Council that France's assertion that Tehran is "on the verge" of developing nuclear weapons is entirely unfounded and that its defense doctrine has not changed, according to a letter released on Wednesday.

In a letter to the Security Council, Iran's Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, described French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot's claims as "completely baseless and politically irresponsible," emphasizing that the Islamic Republic has never sought nuclear weapons.

The letter, also addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that if France and its partners genuinely seek a diplomatic solution, they should cease threats and respect the sovereign rights of nations under international law.

Iravani emphasized that Iran, as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), remains committed to its obligations and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consistently verifies the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, confirming no diversion of nuclear materials for non-peaceful purposes.

The IAEA says it has lost continuity of knowledge regarding Iran's nuclear program, particularly concerning the production and inventory of key components like centrifuges and heavy water.

The Iranian envoy also criticized France's threat to reimpose sanctions via the so-called snapback mechanism, calling it a clear example of political and economic coercion and a violation of the UN Charter.