Hawzah News Agency (Tehran, Iran) -  In his message, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei described the incident as a 'saddening' and 'tragic' event.

The leader honored the Iranian sailors, saying they sacrificed their lives as they were fulfilling their duty for their country.

Expressing sorrow, he prayed for the deceased and wished their families' patience.

An Iranian tanker carrying gas condensates collided with a Chinese freight ship in East China coast on January 6, and all the 32 crew members went missing. Three bodies were later found during a rescue operation.

The 30 Iranians and the two Bangladeshi sailors, who were crew members, had unfortunately been killed due to inhaling toxic gases and the huge size of the fire which embraced the tanker since the onset of the tragic incident, Head of Ports and Maritime Organization Mohammad Rastad told on Sunday morning.

Noting that the tanker was carrying 11,510 tons of gas condensates, 1,956 tons of mazut and 118 tons of diesel, Iranian Labor Minister Ali Rabiei earlier said that the explosion was so grave that the heat of the body of the tanker reached 900 degrees in some parts making it impossible to enter the ship.