Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation head says transport ministry must answer for port blast

The head of Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation said the transport ministry must be held responsible for the deadly explosion at Bandar Abbas port, and declined to comment further on the role of a foundation subsidiary.

Hossein Dehghan, head of the Mostazafan Foundation, said: “I will speak later about the Sina company and the cause of the explosion,” according to ILNA news agency.

The blast occurred in the area operated by Sina Marine and Port Services, a subsidiary of the Mostazafan Foundation. The foundation, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate sanctioned by the United States, is controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Sina's director earlier said the explosion was caused by the misdeclaration of "very dangerous" cargo as ordinary goods, which had been improperly stored. The company said it would pursue legal action over the false declaration, which it said endangered the entire port area from ship to warehouse.