Explosion at Iranian Port Claims 5 Lives, Over 700 Injured

April 26, 2025 TruthUSA

Suspicions point to Chinese chemicals intended for Iran’s ballistic missile program as the possible cause of the explosion at Shahid Rajaei port.

A significant explosion at an Iranian port has resulted in at least five fatalities and over 700 injuries.

The incident at Shahid Rajaei port, located on the Strait of Hormuz, occurred on April 26, affecting the surrounding industrial area and releasing thick plumes of reddish-black smoke into the atmosphere.

The blast shattered windows over a wide area and was audible from an island situated 16 miles south of the port, as reported by Iranian media.

While Tehran’s leadership has yet to clarify the cause of the explosion, which took place near Bandar Abbas, they have stated it is unrelated to the nation’s oil sector.

Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, a provincial disaster management official, informed Iranian state media that emergency services were en route to the scene while efforts were being made to evacuate the area.

Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, attributed the explosion to inadequate storage conditions for chemicals found in some containers at the port.

The exact trigger for the explosion remains uncertain. However, it has been previously reported that the port was scheduled to receive two shipments of a component essential for rocket fuel from China, with the first report published in January by the Financial Times.

Each shipment contained approximately 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a crucial ingredient for producing fuel for Iran’s ballistic missiles, as noted in a policy brief by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, released in February.

One of these vessels reportedly docked in Bandar Abbas in February, according to publicly available maritime tracking information, but Iran has not acknowledged receipt of these shipments.

Tracking data indicated that both vessels were positioned off the coast of Bangladesh at the time of Saturday’s explosion.

The shipments were likely aimed at replenishing Iran’s missile stockpiles, which had been diminished due to direct attacks on Israel by Tehran in support of the Hamas terror group last year.

China has long supported the regime in Tehran, facilitating the nation’s ability to evade sanctions through infrastructure investments in exchange for Iranian oil.

Actors based in China have also been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in recent years for smuggling necessary components to Iran for the development of weapons of mass destruction.

At this time, the cause of the explosion remains unknown. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated earlier in the week that Iranian security services are on high alert for potential acts of sabotage or assassination.

The explosion coincided with discussions taking place between experts from the United States and Iran in Oman, aimed at negotiating a new agreement to limit Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.

Currently, Iran’s Interior Ministry is investigating the explosion.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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