Iran rules out sabotage in deadly port blast, cites likely human error

US Senator Tom Cotton said that Iran has no need for advanced centrifuges or highly-enriched uranium for civilian nuclear power purposes, echoing President Donald Trump's stance that all paths for Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon must be cut off, or the consequences would be severe.

In an audio excerpt shared on X, Senator Cotton pointed to President Trump's threat of military intervention if Iran does not agree to a deal, contrasting this direct statement with the traditional Republican refrain of keeping "all options on the table."

He said Trump has been more blunt, saying, "We will be bombing" if necessary. However, Trump has said on several occasions that he preferred a diplomatic solution.

Cotton elaborated on what constitutes an acceptable agreement, saying, "A good deal is obviously a deal that cuts off all of Iran’s paths to a nuclear bomb, that includes all of their highly-enriched uranium and their advanced centrifuges. They don’t need the centrifuges and highly-enriched uranium for civilian nuclear power.”

Iran’s health ministry said the Bandar Abbas port explosion has caused widespread psychological trauma and that crisis response units have begun interventions in hospitals and affected communities.

Mohammadreza Shalbafan, head of the mental health department at the Ministry of Health, said early psychological support is already underway. “Primary services started in hospitals, but main interventions will begin once the physical crisis is stabilized and the depth of psychological harm is clearer,” he told ISNA on Wednesday.

the official said the psychological toll extends beyond victims and their families, with signs of anxiety and stress reported across the broader population. “This type of disaster affects not just those injured or bereaved, but can trigger broader emotional strain in society,” he added.

A senior Iranian cleric said those killed in the Rajaei port explosion were workers who served the country’s economy and would be rewarded by God as if they were fighting in a holy cause.

“The people who lost their lives in the Shahid Rajaei port blast were striving for their livelihoods and the nation’s economy. God will grant them the reward of those who struggle in His path,” said Ali Hosseini, Friday prayer imam of Dayyer in southern Iran, according to Hawzah News Agency.

Speaking at a memorial service Tuesday night, Hosseini warned against rumor-spreading in the aftermath of the explosion and accused some of seeking to “frighten the public.” He urged the public to remain vigilant against false information and divisive narratives.

Iran’s judiciary said results from its ongoing investigation into the deadly explosion and fire at Bandar Abbas’s Rajaei port will be released once expert reviews are complete.

“Extensive technical investigations are still underway, and whatever conclusion is reached will be shared with the public,” judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir told reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Jahangir said the judiciary launched the probe immediately after the incident, following an order from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to investigate any negligence or deliberate wrongdoing.

He added that prosecutors had filed cases against several individuals accused of spreading false information online, warning that media activity should not “undermine public mental security” or “play into the hands of enemies.”

Iran will hold a meeting with representatives from three European countries (the E3) – Britain, France, and Germany – prior to the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States, which is scheduled to take place in Rome.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, announced that the next round of discussions with the US would be held in the Italian capital Rome as facilitated by Oman, the mediating country.

Araghchi added that a separate meeting with the European trio is planned for Friday.