Iran port blast may be sabotage, lawmaker says

Iranian authorities are not ruling out the possibility that sabotage was behind a recent explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port, amid growing speculation over the incident.

Mohammad Mehdi Shahriari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, suggested that the explosion could have resulted from a deliberate attack, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

“The incident may have been caused by FPV drones or by an act of sabotage, potentially involving external infiltrators,” Shahriari said.

“One of the main scenarios under consideration is that it was a sabotage operation, such as a drone strike or a breach by saboteurs.”

Officials have warned that a massive fire at the nearby port of Bandar Abbas could take up to 20 days to fully extinguish.

Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s Crisis Management Organisation, said that the complexity of the operation lies in the nature of the cargo. “The process of fully extinguishing the fire could take approximately 15 to 20 days, as each container must be opened individually,” he said.

To recall, a catastrophic explosion occurred on April 26, 2025, at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, leading to at least 46 deaths and over 1,200 injuries. The blast, which originated in the port's Shahid Rajaee section, resulted in a massive fire fueled by wind and flammable materials, emitting toxic fumes. Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities estimate that it could take up to two weeks to remove the damaged containers. ​

The explosion is believed to have been caused by improperly stored chemicals. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ordered an investigation to examine potential negligence or sabotage. The blast coincided with Iran's third round of nuclear talks with the U.S. in Oman, but no direct connection has been established.​

In response to the tragedy, Iran declared a national day of mourning, and President Masoud Pezeshkian visited the port to assess the situation and offer condolences to the victims' families. ​

The Shahid Rajaee Port is a critical hub for trade and commerce, handling a significant portion of Iran's cargo. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev