Eskandar Mo’meni said that as of Monday, 46 people have been confirmed dead in the catastrophic blast at the commercial port south of Iran.
The minister noted that medical teams are using forensic techniques and DNA testing to identify the bodies.
He said the firefighters and rescue teams have been working tirelessly during the past two days to contain the fire and save lives.
It has become clear to the Interior Ministry that negligence and shortcomings have caused the incident, Mo’meni said, adding that safety issues and civil defense regulations had not been taken seriously at the port.
The minister said that a number of individuals have been summoned in connection with the explosion.
The Iranian administration has declared a public day of mourning on Monday and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims.