Iran says fire contained after deadly blast at key port

Firefighters person brought nether power a blaze astatine Iran's main port, pursuing a deadly detonation blamed connected negligence, authorities successful the Islamic republic said.

The explosion, heard dozens of kilometres (miles) away, deed a dock astatine the confederate larboard of Shahid Rajaee connected Saturday.

At slightest 70 radical were killed and much than 1,000 others suffered injuries successful the blast and ensuing fire, which besides caused extended damage, authorities media reported.

Red Crescent authoritative Mokhtar Salahshour told the transmission precocious Monday that the occurrence had been "contained" and a clean-up was nether way.

State tv aired unrecorded footage connected Tuesday showing heavy fume rising from stacked containers.

Iran's ILNA quality bureau quoted Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for the country's situation absorption organisation, arsenic saying the concern had improved importantly since Monday.

However, "the cognition and implicit extinguishing process whitethorn instrumentality astir 15 to 20 days", the bureau reported.

Iran's customs authorization said larboard operations had returned to normal, according to the IRNA quality agency.

The larboard of Shahid Rajaee lies adjacent the large coastal metropolis of Bandar Abbas connected the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway done which one-fifth of planetary lipid output passes.

Hormozgan provincial politician Mohammad Ashouri ruled retired sabotage.

"The acceptable of hypotheses and investigations carried retired during the process indicated that the sabotage mentation lacks ground oregon relevance," helium told authorities tv precocious Monday.

The port’s customs bureau said the blast whitethorn person started successful a depot storing hazardous and chemic materials.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said determination were "shortcomings, including noncompliance with information precautions and negligence".

A committee assigned to analyse the blast cited akin factors arsenic the apt cause.

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