Iranian MP blames Israel for deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion

An Iranian lawmaker has accused Israel of orchestrating Saturday's massive explosion at the country’s largest port, as Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni attributed the disaster to negligence.

The blast at Shahid Rajaee Port in the southern city of Bandar Abbas killed at least 46 people and injured more than 1,000. It occurred on the same day Washington and Tehran held a third round of talks over Iran's Iran’s nuclear programme.

The explosion caused extensive damage, with firefighters battling flames for days after the incident.

While Iranian authorities are largely treating the explosion as an accident, the disaster comes amid years of shadow war between Iran and its regional foe, Israel.

According to The Washington Post, Israel had previously launched a cyberattack targeting Shahid Rajaee Port in 2020, disrupting operations.

Tehran MP Mohammad Seraj claimed the explosion was caused by explosives pre-planted in shipping containers and detonated remotely, either via satellite or by timer, dismissing initial reports of a fire.

"Israel was involved in the explosion," Siraj told the Rokna news agency on Sunday, without providing evidence. "It was not accidental. Clear evidence points to Israeli involvement."

"There were explosives planted in the container, either in their country of origin or along the transportation route," the parliamentarian claimed. "We do not rule out the involvement of internal factors in planting the explosives in the containers. The explosion occurred at four different locations."

Israel has denied any involvement.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, speaking from the scene on Monday, blamed "shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence."
Momeni said the "culprits have been identified and summoned" and confirmed that only 120 of the injured remain hospitalised.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a full investigation into the incident, which has further rattled a country already grappling with severe economic sanctions, escalating tensions with Israel, and growing domestic unrest.

Sunday marked the beginning of three days of mourning in Hormozgan province, while Monday was declared a national day of mourning across Iran.