Iran port explosion-Iran’s Hidden Missile Activities Exposed by Deadly Port Blast
A recent explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port has raised serious questions about the country’s transparency regarding its weapons activities.
According to the Middle East Forum, the blast occurred last Saturday, resulting in 40 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. The incident took place at a terminal managed by Sina Holding, a company affiliated with the Bonyad-e Mostazafan, a government-run foundation overseen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
No official statement has been made regarding the cause of the explosion. However, reports suggest two Iranian ships docked at the terminal were transporting over 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a chemical compound commonly used in rocket propellants.
Notably, the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran has no documented records of the chemical’s import, implying it may have bypassed standard customs procedures. Iranian authorities have yet to present any alternate narrative explaining the cause of the explosion.
Further raising suspicions, the leadership of Bonyad-e Mostazafan reportedly includes high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Earlier this year, the organization entered into an agreement with the Iranian government to collaborate on advanced technologies.
The presence of such a dangerous chemical compound at the port is particularly alarming given there are no public indications that sodium perchlorate is routinely handled or stored at that location. While fertilizers and petroleum-based materials are present at the port, experts note that these substances are not known to cause explosions of the scale witnessed.
Professor Andrea Sella, a chemistry expert at University College London, commented on the situation, suggesting the event underscores Iran’s efforts to bypass international sanctions in pursuit of military development. “It’s known that Iran has been engaging in sanctions evasion to fuel its weapons program,” she said, as quoted by Politico.
The U.S. Treasury Department recently announced sanctions on individuals and organizations from both Iran and China for their involvement in supplying materials like sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate to the IRGC. These sanctions highlight the international concern over Iran’s expanding missile development.
Politico also noted that shipments of sodium perchlorate had arrived from China earlier this year, reinforcing the suspicion that this chemical played a key role in the explosion.
In summary, the port disaster has inadvertently shed light on a broader network of covert operations between Iran and China that may be aimed at advancing Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
