Iran denies presence of military cargo at blast-hit port
Iran's Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that no military-related cargo was present at the Shahid Rajaei Port in Bandar Abbas, where a deadly explosion occurred over the weekend.
Iran's Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that no military-related cargo was present at the Shahid Rajaei Port in Bandar Abbas, where a deadly explosion occurred over the weekend.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik told state media, "There were no imported or exported shipments related to military use or rocket fuel at the site of the incident," dismissing foreign media reports as psychological operations.
“Investigations and evidence confirm that no imported or exported cargo for fuel or military applications was present within the fire-stricken area or Shahid Rajaei port. Certain foreign media outlets are engaging in targeted sensationalism aligned with enemy psychological operations,” he said.
The remarks come following reports that the massive blast -- which killed at least 28 people and injured more than 1,000 -- was linked to the storage of sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in the production of solid rocket fuel.
While the exact cause remains undetermined, a source close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told the New York Times that sodium perchlorate -- a precursor chemical used to make ammonium perchlorate, an important component in solid rocket fuel -- was the likely cause of the explosion.
Investigations into the cause of the blast are ongoing, Iranian officials said, adding that the Ministry of Interior and disaster management authorities are leading the probe. Authorities pledged to publicly disclose findings once the investigation concludes.
Earlier this year, shipping data tracked by The Maritime Executive indicated that two vessels owned by the US-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) — the MV Golbon and MV Jairan — transported sodium perchlorate from China to Bandar Abbas in February and March.
The chemical is later processed at facilities such as Parchin and Khojir in Iran’s solid-fueled ballistic missile programs.
It remains unclear whether the containers from the shipments were still stored at the Sina container terminal at the time of the blast or if they played a role in the explosion.
The explosion on Saturday which has devastated Rajaei Port, the country's largest container port near Bandar Abbas, has halted 57% of the country's nominal loading and unloading capacity.
Although Iranian customs officials announced that some customs and transit activities have resumed, full port operations are still suspended pending the complete extinguishment of the fire.
Cleanup efforts are underway, with Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni saying that about 80% of firefighting operations had been completed by Sunday afternoon.
At least 28 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured.
The Ministry of Health has declared a state of emergency in Bandar Abbas, citing serious air pollution and the risk of chemical contamination. Authorities have also shut down all schools, universities, and government offices in the city as a precaution.
Rajaei Port processes about 85% of Iran’s container cargo and 52% of its oil product trade, according to the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization.
Over the past Iranian year (March 2024 - March 2025), the port handled over 81 million tons of goods — over half of Iran’s total maritime cargo traffic — and $29 billion of Iran’s $130 billion foreign trade.
In the container sector, Shahid Rajaee handles a dominant 77% of the country's nominal container capacity, equivalent to 6.65 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), out of 11 active container ports. The next largest, Bushehr, has a capacity of just 550,000 TEUs.
A rough estimation suggests that each day of disruption at the port potentially halts the movement of an estimated 221,000 tons of various goods, including 61,000 tons of containerized cargo and 75,000 tons of oil products.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. A source with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told the New York Times that the blast was triggered by sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in solid rocket fuel.
Less than a month before the explosion, reports indicated the arrival of the Jairan, an Iranian cargo ship linked to the transport of missile components from China to Bandar Abbas.
The Jairan, owned by the US-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), delivered a cargo of sodium perchlorate to the port in late March, following a similar delivery by the MV Golbon in February, according to The Maritime Executive.
The substance is processed in Iranian facilities such as Parchin and Khojir to produce ammonium perchlorate, which constitutes 70% of the fuel for Iran’s solid-fueled ballistic missiles, including the Kheybar-Shekan, Fattah, Fateh-110, and Zolfaghar missiles.
On Sunday, an Iranian defense ministry spokesperson said that there were no military-use shipments among the import or export cargo at the port, adding that foreign media had been spreading rumors regarding the incident.
Iran’s moderate Ham-Mihan newspaper suggested sabotage was a likely cause, noting the coincidence of the blast with the resumption of expert-level talks between Iran and the United States.
Comparisons have been drawn between the Rajaei Port explosion and the 2020 Beirut port disaster. Lebanese authorities said the explosion was triggered by a fire in a warehouse with a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate fertiliser - commonly used for ammunition and explosives - which had been negligently stored for years.
Rajaei Port, ranked 59th among the world's major ports, is considered vital for Iran’s economy, with no immediate alternative to its vast cargo-handling capacity.
Iranian officials said a full assessment of the damage and a timeline for complete restoration would be announced after the fire is fully extinguished.