The massive explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday dealt a serious blow to the Iranian regime, according to Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
The explosion and raging fire reportedly tied to a shipment of chemical material used in missile propellant, killed 25 people and injuring 1139.
The deadly event came at a highly sensitive moment, coinciding with the third round of talks between Iran and the United States in Oman, aimed at addressing Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
In an interview with Maariv on Sunday, Sabti emphasized the port’s significance, saying it "is the most important port for the Iranian regime."
He explained that its importance stems "not only because it's the largest port in Iran, but because the hub is used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to transfer weapons to terror organizations like Hezbollah and the Houthis, and to illegally transfer oil to China." "Various tankers operate there, disappearing and reappearing, essentially collecting oil from the port or bringing in goods that Iran needs," Sabti continued.
