Deadly Explosion at Shahid Rajai Port in Bandar Abbas with 50 Tons TNT Equivalent Sparks Protests Amid Fires, IRGC Depot Blasts, and Dust Storm

A series of explosions and fires have recently occurred in southern Iran, primarily centered around Bandar Abbas and its Shahid Rajai Port. On May 6, 2025, a devastating blast at Shahid Rajai Port, described by regime sources as reaching temperatures up to 1,400 degrees Celsius and equated by The Washington Post to the power of 50 tons of TNT, resulted in hundreds of casualties including dozens killed, missing, and hundreds injured. The incident has triggered public outrage, with families of victims protesting the government's silence, slow identification efforts, and premature cessation of search operations. Authorities have been accused of covering up the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated foundations in storing hazardous materials at the site. Following the initial explosion, multiple fires have broken out at the port, including one near an oil tank and another caused by a hydraulic pump failure on a reach stacker. Additional fires and explosions have been reported in other locations, such as an IRGC ammunition depot near Kazerun and underground ammunition storage near Shiraz. These events have raised concerns about the regime's management and competence, with some observers attributing the incidents to systemic failures rather than external attacks. Concurrently, a severe dust storm has affected millions across Iran, notably in Khuzestan Province, where over 800 people sought medical treatment for respiratory and cardiac symptoms within 24 hours. The cumulative impact of these disasters has intensified public dissatisfaction amid broader economic and social challenges in the country.