Key Points

"We are grateful to all countries, including Russia, for their assistance in extinguishing the fire in the port of Shahid Rajai in Bandar Abbas," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai.

The Russian Embassy in Tehran on Monday stated that the specialists of the Russian Emergencies Ministry held a coordination meeting with their Iranian counterparts, mapped out operations, and joined efforts to extinguish the fire at the Shahid Rajaee port.

"Immediately after flying into the disaster area, specialists of the Russian Emergencies Ministry held a coordination meeting with their Iranian counterparts, quickly got into details of the operational situation, mapped out operations, split into two groups, and commenced their work. Good luck to all those who are helping extinguish the fire at the port of Shahid Rajaee," the diplomatic mission said in a statement.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued instructions to send several Emergencies Ministry aircraft to extinguish the fire at Shahid Rajaee.

Meanwhile, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, Director General of Hormozgan crisis management department, on Monday confirmed that the death toll has risen to 46 following the explosion, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Several media reports indicated that the massive explosion on Saturday was caused by missile fuel ingredients imported from China.

Reports further suggested that the blast caused destruction in the surrounding areas and affected many industries in western Bandar Abbas.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's cabinet also declared Monday a nationwide day of mourning in response to the tragic incident.

Earlier, it was reported that the blast occurred at a gas tank in the port. A huge column of smoke was formed in the sky, causing extensive damage to nearby buildings and cars.

National Disaster Management Organisation Hossein Zafari told the semi-official Fars news agency that the explosion was caused by chemical materials in a container at the port.

- IANS