President Visits Explosion Site in Iran’s Southern Port
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian left Tehran for Bandar Abbas on Sunday to visit the location of a massive blast that has claimed dozens of lives at Shahid Rajaei Port.
The Iranian president has traveled to the coastal province of Hormozgan to get the latest information in person about the rescue and relief efforts at Shahid Rajaei Port following the huge blast.
The president had already called for a probe into the incident and dispatched Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni to the disaster site.
The death toll from the explosion has risen to 25, while over 800 people have been injured.
The Iranian administration declared a public day of mourning on Monday and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims.
The office of the governor of Hormozgan Province released a video that indicates the first moments of a fire before the huge blast.
The CCTV video shows that a fire broke out at the storage site of containers at 12:05 pm local time on April 26. The fire began to rage after a minute and was followed by the catastrophic explosion.
War on Terrorism Needs Concerted Action, Iranian President Says
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stressed the need for regional cooperation and collective action to fight against terrorism.
In a telephone conversation with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Pezeshkian condemned a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Kashmir.
These tragic events amplify the shared responsibility of all countries in the region and compel the regional states to eradicate the roots of terrorism through empathy, solidarity, and close cooperation, ensuring lasting peace and tranquility for the nations in the region, Pezeshkian stressed.
The president noted that Iran holds the Indian nation and its prominent figures, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru -who were messengers of peace, friendship, and coexistence- in high regard. He also expressed hope that this spirit would remain in India’s relations with all countries.
Regarding the economic ties between Iran and India, Pezeshkian expressed hope for the expansion of cooperation in the trade and infrastructure sectors.
He further stated that the development of Chabahar Port in southeast Iran can serve as a hub for strategic interactions in the region and as a vital connection point between Iran, India, and Russia.
