On Saturday, a massive blast struck Shahid Rajaei port in Hormozgan province, Iran. That blast killed eight people and injured about 750 others. The event played out against the backdrop of indirect United States-Iranian negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program taking place in Oman. This has led to justifiable outcry regarding environmental protection and even potential terrorist influence on the railroad.
Shahid Rajaei port is located roughly 1,050 kilometers (650 miles) southeast of Iran’s capital, directly on the crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. As the base for the U.S. According to Iran’s Customs Administration, the explosion was triggered by a “stockpile of hazardous goods and chemical materials stored in the port area.” Firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses captured the panic as dark, reddish-brown smoke blotted out the sky. Just seconds before the explosion, social media videos captured the chaotic atmosphere.
Now, the explosion comes at a potentially dramatic moment. It happened to overlap with the then-ongoing round of nuclear negotiations between Iranian officials and their U.S. counterparts. Giving his estimates during a live interview on state television, Eskandar Momeni, the Iranian Interior Minister, confirmed the number of dead and wounded. He failed to provide clear data on how many people have been injured.
In March, Shahid Rajaei port received a cargo of sodium perchlorate rocket fuel. This shipment appears to have been intended to restock Iran’s missile inventories. This shipment was just one of a larger consignment from China, first reported by the Financial Times, back in January. The accumulation of this toxic material in the port is an alarming indicator of the port’s negligence over the safety measures taken around this dangerous material.
Hasanzadeh, the provincial disaster management official, said the blast came from containers at the port. After the blast, fires quickly broke out at several sites, including the riverbed, creating dangerous and toxic conditions for first responders and local communities. Authorities have warned about potential air pollution due to the release of chemicals such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
Even a week later, this is how witnesses described the frantic moments before the explosion. In a video that circulated on social media, an unidentified man could be heard shouting warnings:
“Get back get back! Tell the gas (truck) to go!”
Following the rupture, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offered prayers for the families affected by the explosion.
“Tell him to go, it’s going to blow up! Oh God, this is blowing up! Everybody evacuate! Get back! Get back!”
The impacts of this tragedy go well beyond the tragic loss of life at ground zero. Insiders had sounded alarms about the port’s management of highly sensitive materials. A report from Ambrey suggested:
The attack highlighted ongoing security threats to Shahid Rajaei port over the long-term. In 2020, a cyberattack widely attributed to Israel struck this strategic chokepoint. According to the Defense Post, Israeli forces have already targeted Iranian missile silos bomb where solid fuel is manufactured with industrial mixers.
“The fire was reportedly the result of improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles.”
Abbas Araghchi, a senior Iranian official, remarked on the heightened security situation in light of past sabotage attempts:
As investigations into the explosion continue, authorities are expected to scrutinize safety measures at Shahid Rajaei port, particularly regarding the storage and handling of hazardous materials.
“Our security services are on high alert given past instances of attempted sabotage and assassination operations designed to provoke a legitimate response.”
As investigations into the explosion continue, authorities are expected to scrutinize safety measures at Shahid Rajaei port, particularly regarding the storage and handling of hazardous materials.
