Iran is not being honest about its affairs, a recent explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port proves.
Middle East Forum reported the explosion took place last Saturday, killing 40 people and injuring hundreds.
The explosion happened at a terminal used by Sina Holding, which is tied to the Bonyad-e Mostazafan, a foundation controlled by the Iranian government under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
There is not an official explanation as to what explosive material could have ignited at the terminal, but the Forum added two Iranian ships carrying over 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate were docked there.
Sodium perchlorate is a chemical compound used for rocket fuel.
The Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran did not have any record of its importation. The Forum suggested this means it was shipped without customs oversight. Iranian officials have provided no alternate explanation for the explosion.
If further proof was needed that Iran is clearly trying to hide its weapons development initiatives, Bonyad-e Mostazafan’s leaders are members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The organization signed an agreement with Iran’s government to “utilize mutual capacities in advanced technologies” in February.
No information provided by the Forum suggested a chemical of this nature should be at this port. Fertilizers are at the port but are not stored there.
Moreover, chemicals and petroleum products kept there do not create explosions like the one seen on Saturday.
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Politico reported on comments made by University College London chemistry professor Andrea Sella in light of the explosion. She said Iran is flaunting sanctions for the sake of weapons development: “It’s known that Iran has been doing all kinds of sanctions busting and so on in order to supply their weapons program.”
In a news release at the end of last month, the United States Treasury Department announced designations against the entities involved in the trade that led to the explosion.
“Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating six entities and six individuals based in Iran and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for their role in a network procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This network has facilitated the procurement of sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate from the PRC to Iran.”
The Treasury’s decision to target China in its action comes after shipments of sodium perchlorate were sent to Iran from the People’s Republic in January, according to Politico.
All of this is to say that the explosion may have exposed Iran and China’s efforts to see the former build up its missile program.
There is not a logical explanation otherwise for why this chemical would be at this port.
Poorly hiding weapons development is not anything new for Iran. In 2021, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, the former head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation, stated Iran created a “system” for atomic weapons development despite a 2003 fatwa issued by Khamenei prohibiting just that.
Iran has tried several times over to hide its nefarious activities, but Saturday can’t be explained away.
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