What's Behind the Shahid Rajaei Port Explosion in Iran?

What happened at Shahid Rajaei Port?

On Saturday (26/4/2025) afternoon, a fire followed by an explosion occurred at one of the terminals of Shahid Rajaei Port in Bandar Abbas, Iran. This port is the largest commercial port in the country.

As of now, according to the Director of Crisis Management of Hormozgan Province, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, the death toll from the explosion at Shahid Rajaei Port has reached 70 people. At least 1,000 individuals have been injured as a result of the explosion. The head of the Iranian Red Crescent, Pir Hosein Koliyand, stated that approximately 190 people are still hospitalized due to serious injuries.

Satellite imagery reveals a massive level of destruction. Photos from Planet Labs show destroyed buildings, including those at the port, office complexes, and storage warehouses.

The crater from the explosion gaped and billowed thick smoke. The government closed schools and community activities near the port.

What is the suspected cause of the explosion?

On the day of the explosion, the Customs and Excise Officer at Shahid Rajaei Port stated to Iranian television that the explosion was likely triggered by a fire from hazardous chemicals stored in one of the warehouses.

The explosion is suspected to have been triggered by propellant — the chemical raw material used for rocket or missile propulsion — that was to be utilized in Iran's ballistic missile project. The Iranian military has denied this.

In recent developments, the Iranian government concluded that the cause of the explosion at Shahid Rajaei Port was a procedural error. This conclusion refutes the suspicion that the explosion was related to the improper handling of ammonium perchlorate.

Quoted from the Iranian news agency, IRNA, the Committee for Investigating the Causes of the Fire stated on Monday (28/4/2025) evening local time or Tuesday Indonesian time, that the explosion occurred due to the failure of the parties to adhere to safety principles and passive defense standards.

Previously, Iranian Minister of Interior Eskandar Momeni opened the possibility of negligence in port operations that led to a large explosion. Momeni stated on Monday that the perpetrators have been identified and summoned.

Why is Shahid Rajaei Port important?

Shahid Rajaei Port is located on the northern coast of the Strait of Hormuz, where the Persian Gulf meets the Gulf of Oman. As one of the world's main oil and natural gas trade routes, this port is Iran's largest and most strategic asset.

The port handles 85 percent of Iran's container traffic. The location of the port is also traversed by 20 percent of international oil trade.

Built in 2005, Shahid Rajaei Port stands on an area of 4,800 hectares. The capacity of this port is to handle 100 million tons of cargo per year.

The explosion incident could have a negative impact on the Iranian economy, particularly on regional trade routes. Moreover, the Iranian economy is currently burdened by economic sanctions from the United States, including those that restrict oil exports.

Is there a connection between the explosion and Iran's nuclear program and the Israeli attack?

An explosion occurred during the third round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States. The negotiations were held in Muscat, Oman. The dialogue was first initiated in 2018.

Iran insists that they are developing nuclear technology to assist in the lives of civilians. This includes applications for cancer therapy and the irradiation of superior seeds in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the United States, along with Israel, demands that Iran completely abandon its nuclear development.

Iran refuses to completely dismantle its nuclear program. This is because Iran does not want to end up like Libya or Ukraine. Several years ago, Libya and Ukraine were promised various things in exchange for dismantling their nuclear programs. However, those promises were not fulfilled.

At the same time, tensions between Iran and Israel are escalating. There are suspicions of Israel's involvement, the arch-enemy of Iran, in the incident. Israel has consistently targeted Iranian missile production sites, leaving no safe place for processing the raw materials for Iran's ballistic missiles, which ultimately remain stored in port warehouses.

In 2020, Israel launched a cyberattack that disrupted operations at Shahid Rajaei Port. However, the Iranian Attorney General denied Israel's involvement by condemning "online activities" that spread rumors, thereby undermining the psychological security of the public.

How did Iran respond to the explosion?

So far, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's aides have treated the incident as an accident. The Iranian military denied receiving shipments of chemicals that triggered the explosion.

Saeed Jafari, the CEO of a maritime services company operating at the port, revealed that the information regarding the exploding cargo is false. "The incident occurred following false statements about hazardous goods and sending them without documentation and labeling," said Jafari.

The New York Times, citing sources with ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the material that caused the loud explosion was sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient in missile solid fuel. Iranian Defense Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei Nik told state television that there were no imports or exports of military fuel or military purposes in the area.