The explosion at Iran's biggest commercial port left a huge crater. AFP
The explosion at Iran's biggest commercial port left a huge crater. AFP
The explosion at Iran's biggest commercial port left a huge crater. AFP
The explosion at Iran's biggest commercial port left a huge crater. AFP

Two arrested after Iran port blast


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Two people have been arrested in Iran over a massive port explosion last weekend that killed at least 57 people.

One of the two suspects was a "government manager", while the other came "from the private sector", Iranian state television reported, citing an investigative committee looking into last Saturday's blast.

The report said the "suspects have been identified and the summoning process is under way". It did not give details of the accusations against the two people, but the investigative committee has alleged "false declarations" of goods being handled at the port.

The Bandar Abbas explosion rocked Iran's biggest port last Saturday, causing hundreds of injuries and starting fires that burned for two days. The exact cause was unclear, but officials were treating it as an accident and linked the blast to a chemical storage depot at the site.

Estimates of the death toll varied. Iran's judiciary said on Sunday that an earlier count of 65 had been revised down to 57 because it appeared that some victims "considered separate were in fact one body". It said the figure could still change.

Explosion rocks Iran's Bandar Abbas port – in pictures

The semi-official Nour News agency gave an alternative figure on Sunday of 70 dead, plus more than 1,000 injured. It said search and rescue efforts had ended on Saturday evening after "several days of relentless efforts".

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni had blamed the explosion on "shortcomings, including non-compliance with safety precautions and negligence". The port's customs office said it probably resulted from a fire at a depot for hazardous materials.

Iran's Defence Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik later told state television that "there has been no imported or exported cargo for military fuel or military use in the area".

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has told officials to “thoroughly investigate” the blast. He said they should follow up on any “negligence or intent” they uncover.

Bandar Abbas lies on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one fifth of global oil output passes.

SPECS
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Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

NYBL PROFILE

Company name: Nybl 

Date started: November 2018

Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence

Initial investment: $500,000

Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)

Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up 

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen

Directed by: Bill Condon

Three out of five stars

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Rating: 3/5

Updated: May 05, 2025, 7:03 AM`