The devastating incident occurred Sunday at the Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, near the vital Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian outlets and local sources cited by Agence France-Presse, the explosion, believed to stem from hazardous chemicals, injured over 1,200 people. Two days later, firefighting efforts were still underway amidst thick smoke, while authorities remained guarded about the precise cause. The port was previously targeted in an alleged Israeli cyberattack in 2020, a move widely seen as part of Israel's efforts to disrupt Iran's nuclear program, as reported by the Washington Post.
Despite the national tragedy, nuclear diplomacy proceeded. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, confirmed the IAEA delegation's arrival for "technical talks with Iranian experts today, including on the issue of safeguards." He emphasized Iran's expectation that the IAEA approach the nuclear file technically and legally, free from political influence, framing the visit as a follow-up to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's recent trip to Tehran.
The IAEA, responsible for monitoring Iran's nuclear activities under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, seeks a central role in verifying any potential agreement between Tehran and Washington. Grossi stressed this need during his April 17 meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who later confirmed IAEA experts would join the next round of talks. Both officials spoke again Sunday, reaffirming cooperation. However, Iran's nuclear program has significantly advanced – including enrichment up to 60% purity, a level near weapons-grade that is a cause for serious concern – since the US withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under the first Trump administration.
Amidst these developments, Iran doubled down on its core demands. "Enrichment and the effective lifting of sanctions are red lines in the negotiations with the United States," Baghaei declared Monday, calling them fundamental principles Iran will "definitely pursue seriously." Tehran maintains its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, denying ambitions to build atomic weapons.
Baghaei confirmed that the fourth round of indirect talks between Iranian negotiator Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled for Saturday, though the location was not specified. Previous rounds, mediated by Oman and held in Muscat and Rome, were described by both sides as serious and productive, albeit with remaining differences and an atmosphere of "cautious hopefulness," according to Araghchi.
The renewed diplomatic push occurs under the shadow of the Trump administration's resumed 'maximum pressure' campaign, a strategy of imposing severe economic sanctions on Iran to force it to renegotiate the nuclear deal. This has led to heightened regional tensions and international concerns, with the US, Israel, and European allies accusing Iran of seeking nuclear weapons capability. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated calls Sunday for the complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, underscoring the complex geopolitical landscape framing the upcoming negotiations.