DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Recent events in Iran’s Shahid Rajaei port have resulted in a devastating explosion, claiming the lives of at least 70 individuals and leaving over 1,000 injured. The blast occurred at a facility owned by the Bonyad Mostazafan, a charitable foundation aligned with the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Known for its significant economic influence, Bonyad Mostazafan is currently under American sanctions due to its involvement in enriching Khamenei’s office, rewarding his political allies, and targeting adversaries of the regime, as per U.S. Treasury findings.
This foundation maintains affiliations with Iran’s elite paramilitary unit, the Revolutionary Guard, responsible for Tehran’s missile arsenal and international operations against enemies. However, Iranian authorities have yet to specify the explosion’s cause in the port, which is situated near Bandar Abbas. Speculations are that the explosion may involve a chemical component essential for producing solid fuel for ballistic missiles, an allegation the authorities have denied. Reports are increasingly pointing to the likely presence of a mysterious and highly explosive cargo.
Andrea Sella, a chemistry professor at University College London, commented on the unusual nature of storing such a volatile material in the port’s warehousing area, highlighting the risks involved. Bonyads, the Iranian foundational institutions rooted in Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s era, were redesigned post-1979 revolution by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to control various assets. Today, Bonyad Mostazafan is one of Iran’s most influential economic entities, believed to possess an immense share of the nation’s GDP, with assets spanning various industries.
The exact site of the explosion, analyzed through satellite imagery, appears adjacent to a terminal operated by the foundation’s subsidiary, Sina Port and Marine Services Development Co. After the incident, the access to the site has been controlled, and Saeed Jafari, CEO of Sina, acknowledged a dangerous cargo was delivered without proper documentation.
The longstanding connections of Bonyad Mostazafan with the Revolutionary Guard are well-documented. Its president, Hossein Dehghan, a former Guard general and Khamenei’s military advisor, exemplifies the ties between the foundation and Iran’s military and security sectors. The U.S. labels the foundation’s financial assets as resources for the Guard, possibly funding unauthorized activities.
The Trump administration previously sanctioned Bonyad Mostazafan, accusing it of serving Khamenei’s personal interests. Though the foundation claims tax compliance, it operates beyond governmental scrutiny, further intensifying concerns about its financial activities and contributions to the Iranian economy.
Recently, the U.S. Treasury imposed new sanctions on China and Iran for their alleged roles in sending sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate, crucial for missile fuel production, to Iran. An individual linked to the Iranian firm involved with the Revolutionary Guard was named. This follows reports and data indicating shipments of these chemicals from China to Iran.
Naysayers from Iran’s Defense Ministry denied imports of missile fuel, instead attributing the blast to potential human error without offering a detailed explanation. Surveillance footage preceding the explosion showed a reddish cloud, similar to those observed during past chemical explosions, hinting at a probable involvement of ammonium compounds.
Historically, this cloud resembles incidents like the 2020 Beirut port explosion and a catastrophic event at the PEPCON plant in 1988, attributed to ammonium storage issues. Chemistry experts speculate that the reddish cloud indicates nitrogen dioxide, likely emanating from ammonium perchlorate, substantiated by missile fuel shipment rumors.