By Nohad Topalian | 2025-05-08

BEIRUT -- Though the cause of the deadly April 26 blast at a major Bandar Abbas port is not yet known, negligence and failure to follow safety regulations have been identified as key factors by the Iranian regime and others.

The toll of the explosion -- reminiscent of the deadly 2020 Beirut Port blast in its scale and intensity -- also remains unclear, with the Iranian regime accused of deliberately concealing the number.

Authorities initially reported 70 deaths at Shahid Rajaee port, later revising the toll downward to 57.

The judiciary said the toll had been revised because "it was determined that some of the bodies considered separate were in fact one body," AFP reported.

But there are suspicions the true number may be much higher than even the original count, with media reports suggesting many members of Iran's vast migrant workforce were incinerated in the blast.

"Local sources and witnesses suggest the actual number of victims, particularly among day laborers ... was significantly higher," Iran Wire reported.

"Without papers, without records, without witnesses, these men from Iran's impoverished provinces have become invisible -- even in death."

"Some bodies may never be found due to the explosion's intensity and fire," Payam-e Ma newspaper reported.

Lingering questions

Shahid Rajaee port has a history of safety lapses, with at least three deadly accidents there between 2021 and 2024, the Washington Post reported.

In March, a Chinese vessel delivered a shipment of sodium perchlorate, a key component in missile fuel manufacture, to Shahid Rajaee port.

The explosion was reportedly the result of improper handling of this shipment, private security firm Ambrey said.

Iran's Customs Administration has blamed a "stockpile of hazardous goods and chemical materials," without elaboration, state-run IRNA reported.

State television quoted Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni blaming "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence."

But the exact cause of the blast, which originated at a facility owned by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) affiliate Bonyad Mostazafan, remains a mystery. Bonyad Mostazafan is under US sanctions.

The port's container terminal operator, Tidewater Middle East Co., is also under US sanctions for providing "an avenue of revenue to the IRGC" and exporting arms in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

Amnesty International has accused Iranian authorities of carrying out a "sinister crackdown" on media outlets to conceal the truth about the blast, by filing criminal cases against multiple media outlets and individuals.

"Suppressing media reporting indicates that the state is attempting to conceal the truth from the public," it said.

"The policies of deception, evasion, concealment of information and deliberately keeping citizens ignorant are identical between Tehran and its axis forces," Lebanese Center for Research and Consulting director Hassan Qutb told Pishtaz.