Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said today that the powerful explosion that rocked the country's largest commercial port on Saturday was due to negligence, Agence France-Presse reported. Reuters reports that according to new figures from the authorities, the number of victims is 65.
The minister is visiting the region. He said that some of those responsible for the incident have been identified and have been summoned. There were lapses and non-compliance with security measures, he added.
Firefighters were still trying to control the huge fire that followed the explosion today. Once the fire is extinguished, an assessment of the damage to the port will begin.
Satellite images now reveal the extent of the destruction. The company's footage “Planet Labs PBC“ were analyzed by the Associated Press. They show that the blast leveled a building near the site of the explosion. The building appears to have been next to a row of containers, which are also no longer there. Other buildings were also damaged. Two craters measuring about 50 meters speak of the force of the explosion. The footage also shows other containers that were deformed by the blast wave.