Iran marks 'Transportation Safety Day' as port fire continues into second day

The fire at Rajaei port was largely contained but efforts to extinguish the remaining 20 percent were ongoing, Fatemeh Mohajerani, Iran’s government spokeswoman, said in a post on X.

"The situation is under control," she said, adding that several injured individuals were airlifted to Shiraz and Larestan.

Tehran City Council chairman Mehdi Chamran told domestic media that a team of 30 firefighters with foam and essential equipment was dispatched from Tehran to assist operations.

Iran's nuclear program is merely the tip of the iceberg in the broader spectrum of disagreements between Tehran and the West, the former head of the country's atomic energy organization said on Sunday.

Fereydoun Abbasi, who previously led the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said that the way Western powers approach the nuclear issue will significantly determine the trajectory of these multifaceted disputes.

Speaking to Iranian media, Abbasi cautioned against relying on information about ongoing negotiations that emerges through the press. "One cannot rely on the data that comes out about the negotiations from the media," he said, suggesting that the full scope of discussions remains behind closed doors.

Beyond the nuclear file, Abbasi highlighted a range of contentious issues that contribute to the strained relationship between Iran and Western nations. "Missile discussions, the region, human rights, women's rights – all are subjects of disagreement," he added.

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​As of 3 pm on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence forces have taken full control of the Shahid Rajaei Port area, including port facilities and adjacent customs buildings, Iran International has learned.

Sources indicate that even the port's security guards and customs protection personnel have been denied access to these zones.​

Reports also suggest that IRGC forces are preventing vehicle owners from retrieving their cars parked in the limited-access parking areas of the Shahid Rajaei port and customs facilities.​

In the city of Bandar Abbas, even in eastern districts far from the port, air pollution levels are so high that residents widely report the smell of burning and nasal irritation.​

The eastern and northern exit routes from Bandar Abbas are experiencing heavy traffic due to a significant exodus of residents.​

According to local citizens, the initial explosion caused ground tremors that many mistook for a major earthquake.

The death toll from the port explosion in southern Iran has increased to 14, the Islamic Republic's interior minister Eskandar Momeni announced on state TV.

Momeni said that 750 people have been injured, with 300 still hospitalized in Bandar Abbas hospitals.

"Some of the patients who require further care will be transferred to Tehran tonight," he told reporters.

The color of the smoke from the first explosion at Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas suggests the presence of a large amount of sodium, defense and security analyst Farzin Nadimi told Iran International.

"The color of the smoke from the first explosion is completely yellow, which indicates the presence of a large amount of sodium in the blast," Nadimi said.

"Sodium is the main material used to produce sodium perchlorate — the same chemical that was unloaded at Bandar Abbas in February and March this year. This chemical, imported from China, is combined with ammonium chloride to produce ammonium perchlorate, which is used in the production of solid missile fuel," he added.