TEHRAN – The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Defense has firmly dismissed rumors suggesting the presence of military-related cargo at Shahid Rajaee Port at the time of a powerful blast that rocked the port of Shahid Rajaee in Hormozgan Province on Saturday.

The tragic incident which happened after a fuel tanker exploded for reasons still under investigation, has so far claimed 40 lives and injured more than 900 individuals.

In a statement on Sunday, Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, expressed condolences to the families affected by the incident and to the great Iranian nation, also conveying sympathy on behalf of Defense Ministry personnel and the Armed Forces.  

He stated: “Based on investigations and available documents, there has been and is no imported or exported cargo for fuel or military purposes in the area of the Shahid Rajaee Port fire.”  

Referring to certain media narratives, Talaei-Nik added: “Some fabricated news, promoted through coordinated media campaigns by foreign outlets as part of enemy psychological operations, is not new. The intelligent Iranian nation has always managed to neutralize such media operations.”  

He also emphasized that the main and contributing causes of the fire—whether related to safety or security—are being thoroughly investigated under the supervision of the National Disaster Management Organization and the Ministry of Interior, with the findings to be officially announced at the appropriate time.  

Separately, outlets such as the Associated Press (AP) and The New York Times (NYT) published claims alleging that the explosion was linked to shipments of chemical materials used in missile production. AP reported that the port had received ammonium perchlorate from China in March, while the NYT quoted individuals with alleged ties to Iranian security services claiming a missile fuel component exploded. Iranian officials have categorically rejected these allegations as baseless, reassuring the public that an in-depth investigation is underway to establish the cause of the explosion and prevent its recurrence.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities, emergency services, health departments, and crisis management teams continue to work to ensure that victims and their families receive the necessary care and that affected facilities are secured and rehabilitated. 

On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also went to Bandar Abbas to monitor response operations a day after the deadly explosion. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Bandar Abbas, Pezeshkian said his administration is following up on all aspects of the deadly blast.