406 injured in gas tank explosion in southern Iran port

A massive explosion rocked the Port of Shahid Rajaee in southern Iran's Hormozgan Province on Saturday, injuring at least 406 people and causing extensive damage to nearby buildings and vehicles.

The blast, which occurred at a gas tank facility, sent a towering plume of smoke into the sky.

Local officials said that firefighting efforts were still underway as of Saturday afternoon.

According to customs authorities, the explosion may have originated from a warehouse storing hazardous goods and chemicals in the port.

Located in the city of Bandar Abbas, the Port of Shahid Rajaee is one of Iran's largest and most vital shipping hubs. It handles over 55 percent of the country's non-oil imports and exports and manages more than 85 percent of Iran's container cargo, according to state news agency IRNA.

406 injured in gas tank explosion in southern Iran port

406 injured in gas tank explosion in southern Iran port

406 injured in gas tank explosion in southern Iran port

406 injured in gas tank explosion in southern Iran port

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation