Iran blames 'negligence' for port blast as death toll rises to 70

The interior minister said "some individuals deemed responsible" for Saturday's blast at Shahid Rajaee are being questioned.

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Eskandar Momeni said Saturday's blast at Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas, which also injured more than 1,000 people, was caused by "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence".

"Some individuals deemed responsible" had been summoned for questioning, he added.

Customs authorities have said imported cargo caught fire and exploded. The defence ministry has denied foreign reports that it was a shipment of a missile fuel chemical.

The crisis management director for Hormozgan province, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, also said on Monday that the firefighting effort at the port was "almost in its final stages".