Two arrested after Iran port blast

Government official among those held over explosion that killed at least 57

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

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

Firefighters at the site of an explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran. EPA

Black smoke rises behind abandoned damaged containers following the blast. AFP

Several containers exploded on April 26 at Iran's largest commercial port, authorities said, causing a major blast and fire, and leaving hundreds injured. AFP

Thick, black smoke rises. AFP

A helicopter releases water to extinguish the fire. EPA

Authorities have not yet announced the cause of the blast. EPA

An injured man sits on the ground. AFP

People take an injured worker to an ambulance. EPA

Workers walk away from the site of the explosion. EPA

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.