Iranian Authorities Arrest Two People Suspected Of Being Involved In Explosion At Bandar Abbas Port

JAKARTA - Iranian authorities arrested two people suspected of being linked to a major explosion at Shahid Rajaee Harbor, Bandar Abbas in April that killed at least 57 people.

One of the two suspects is a "government manager", while the other comes from "from the private sector", Iranian state television reported, citing an investigative committee investigating the explosion that occurred on April 26, reported The National May 5.

The report said "the suspect has been identified and the summons is ongoing". The report did not provide details of the allegations against the two men, but the investigative committee has accused a "false declaration" of the items being handled at the port.

Bandar Abbas explosion rocked Iran's largest port last Saturday, causing hundreds of people to be injured and sparked a two-day fire. The exact cause is unclear, but officials consider it an accident and link the explosion to a chemical storage depot at the site.

Estimates of the death toll varied. Iranian courts said on Sunday the previous number of victims had been revised to 57 people, as it appeared that some victims "which were considered separate were actually one body". Although it said the figure could still change.

The semi-official Nour news agency gave an alternative figure on Sunday, 70 people were killed, with more than 1,000 people injured. It said search and rescue efforts had ended on Saturday night after "few days of relentless efforts".

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Eskandar Momenti has blamed the blast on "lacks, including non-compliance with safety and negligence measures".

Meanwhile, the port customs office said the explosion may have been caused by a fire at the depot of hazardous materials.

Separately, Iranian Defense Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik told state television there was "no cargo imported or exported for military fuel or military use in the area".

It is known that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has asked officials to "investigately investigate" the explosion. He said they should follow up on any "obedience or intentional" they find.

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