The cargo that caused the explosion at Rajaei Port in southern Iran belonged to a military entity, the Ham-Mihan daily reported on Monday citing victims’ families three months after the blast that killed dozens of workers.
Mostafa Nourizadeh, the husband of Hakimeh Bakhto—one of the workers killed in the explosion—told the reformist-leaning paper that the cargo was not handled by regular customs brokers and could not have been transported by a private company.
This cargo belonged to a military institution, he said citing investigations by the victims' families.
“That’s where the questions begin: What entered the port? Why was it there? Why wasn’t it stored safely?”
The report also said, citing victims' families, that no officials have been dismissed or otherwise held accountable and that court proceedings have stalled, with case files marked as confidential.
While the judiciary announced compensation payments to the families of the 58 victims, Ham-Mihan said some relatives reported receiving no support, and injured workers had to pay medical expenses out of pocket.
According to the private security firm Ambrey, the explosion was “reportedly the result of improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles.”
Months later, officials have not publicly provided a detailed explanation.
