Satellite images show impact of Iran's Rajaei port explosion
Satellite images taken before and after the explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaei port show the blast’s impact on the area, with smoke rising over the site days after the incident.
A Planet Labs image from April 9 shows the port intact, while a second image from April 28 shows smoke drifting over the facility following the April 26 explosion.
A new explosion at a gunpowder company operating under Iran's top security body in central Isfahan province killed two people on Tuesday, marking the latest in a wave of blasts across the country that have killed at least 73 people in just four days.
The incident occurred at the Ava Nar Parsian Chemical Industries warehouse in the Meymeh district of Isfahan province, according to the provincial crisis management office.
Emergency services and firefighters were dispatched to the site. No official cause has been announced.
Screengrab from state media footage showing the aftermath of the explosion at the Ava Nar Parsian warehouse in Meymeh, Isfahan province, on 29 April 2025.
The blast comes amid a wave of explosions across Iran, including a deadly fire at a fuel depot in Zahedan on Monday that killed one person and critically injured two others, according to the local rights group Hal Vash.
Over the past four days, at least 73 people have been reported killed in similar incidents nationwide, including 70 killed in Saturday’s massive explosion at Rajaei port in the southern city of Bandar Abbas.
The site of Tuesday’s blast, Ava Nar Parsian, according to its website, manufactures fireworks and gunpowder and operates under the supervision of Iran’s National Security Council—the country’s highest decision-making body on security matters.
However, investigations by Iran International suggest the company may also be linked to Iran's security and military apparatus.
One of Ava Nar Parsian’s top executives, Damoun Beheshtnejad, previously held a managerial position at Nargostar Sepahan, another chemical facility in Isfahan that was the site of a major explosion in June 2021.
At the time, British newspaper The Guardian reported that the complex housed the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), a key player in the Islamic Republic’s drone program.
According to official company filings, certain decisions at Ava Nar Parsian fall under the authority of the "Intelligence Protection Organization for Weapons and Ammunition Management of Isfahan Province." The company is licensed to produce, trade, import, and export commercial, industrial, and chemical explosives.
A member of Iran’s national security and foreign policy commission said sabotage, including a possible drone attack or infiltration, must be considered among the main scenarios behind the Bandar Abbas port explosion, Iranian media reported on Tuesday.
Mohammad Mehdi Shahriari told Rouydad24 news outlet that while the blast could have resulted from negligence or an accident, security agencies were also investigating the possibility of deliberate sabotage.
“One main scenario is that this tragic event was caused by sabotage through micro-drones or an infiltrator,” Shahriari said, adding that the national security commission would seriously examine these possibilities.
He also linked the explosion’s timing to ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks, suggesting that hostile actors might have sought to disrupt negotiations. Shahriari cautioned, however, that no definitive conclusions could be drawn until investigations were complete.
Iran’s port authority said full cargo operations have resumed at Bandar Abbas’s Shahid Rajaei terminal after an explosion on Saturday that killed at least 70 people.
Saeed Rasouli, acting head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, said 26 ships were currently docking and unloading at the port, with marine operations continuing under safety standards.
He said the blast affected about 15 hectares of the container yard, but other areas and terminals remained secure and operational. Investigations into the cause of the explosion and the contents of damaged containers are ongoing under the supervision of Hormozgan’s governor, Rasouli added.
Insurance companies are on site assessing damages, and the port authority has launched repairs in affected areas. Rasouli said port services were running at full capacity and there was no disruption to maritime or shipping operations.
Bandar Abbas’s Shahid Rajaei terminal handles around 70 million tonnes of cargo annually and includes 23 berths. Only one berth sustained serious damage in the blast, according to officials.
Firefighters work at the scene following an explosion at Shahid Rajaei Port in Bandar Abbas, Iran.
The third round of indirect talks between Iran and the US in Muscat has been met with largely positive reactions from European officials, media, and think tanks, generating a spark of hope that Europe is determined to back the diplomatic track, according to an analysis by Iran's official IRNA news agency.
IRNA reported that the Muscat discussions, mediated by Oman, were described as positive,constructive,and showing progress by both sides, a sentiment echoed across Europe.
The analysis pointed to the European Union spokesperson’s remarks that any development increasing the likelihood of a diplomatic solution is a step in the right direction, emphasizing the EU's commitment to a diplomatic resolution.
The analysis highlighted the support expressed by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom for the continuation of dialogue.
British Foreign Secretary David Lemi's visit to Muscat after the talks and French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine's reaffirmation of Paris's commitment to a diplomatic solution shows Europe's alignment with the ongoing efforts, IRNA said.
Iranian lawmakers investigating the Bandar Abbas port explosion said a private company falsely declared hazardous goods as ordinary cargo, triggering the blast that killed dozens.
“It was confirmed to us that the imported goods in the containers belonged to a private company, and the importer submitted a false declaration, disguising the cargo’s true nature,” said Morteza Mahmoudi, a member of the parliamentary delegation, according to state media.
The lawmakers blamed mismanagement by the Ministry of Roads and the Ports and Maritime Organization, citing failures in cargo inspection, lack of proper x-ray scanners, and unsafe handling of dangerous materials. They called for reforms to reduce human error and address corruption in port operations.
Separately, Hormozgan governor Mohammad Ashouri said the explosion was not caused by sabotage or any external attack. Reviewing security footage, he said smoke appeared during cargo movement before the blast. Ashouri said the disaster was partly due to the misdeclaration of hazardous cargo, combined with negligence and the lack of proper safety equipment at the port.
Firefighters respond to an explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, Iran.
