ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s ports are free of hazardous materials that could cause explosions similar to those at the Beirut Port and Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port, a member of Iraq’s parliamentary security and defense committee said Monday.

A powerful explosion Saturday at the Shahid Rajaee Port in the southwestern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas killed at least 70 people and injured more than 1,000 others. Reports indicated the blast was caused by fuel designated for use in ballistic missiles stored at the facility.

Since the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, Iraq has implemented strict safety and security measures at its ports, lawmaker Alawi al-Bandawi told The New Region.

“Iraq has worked to clear all ports of dangerous explosive or chemical materials as a precaution against any potential incidents,” Bandawi said.

He added that Iraq continues to enforce these measures to ensure the ports remain free of hazardous materials. Specialized teams monitor all containers entering the ports under any classification, he said.

“The likelihood of an explosion similar to Beirut or Shahid Rajaee occurring in Iraqi ports is very low,” Bandawi said. “Our ports are safe and operate under very high standards of safety and security.”