Iranian media have reported that the number of deaths from Saturday’s (April 26) explosion in the city of Bandar Abbas has risen to 25.

The explosion left more than 800 people injured, and six others are still missing.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Disaster Management Organization said the explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas was caused by the improper storage of chemical materials in containers.

He added that earlier warnings had been given about the risk of an explosion involving these chemicals.

Meanwhile, Iranian media report that 80% of the fire at Shahid Rajaee port has been brought under control, and export and import operations in other parts of the port are continuing normally.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation into the cause of the explosion.

Pezeshkian has also called on all government agencies to coordinate properly to prevent further damage.

The explosion happened as Tehran and Washington held the third round of indirect talks, mediated by Oman, aimed at controlling Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that this round of negotiations was more serious and involved a deeper discussion of technical issues compared to previous rounds.