Iranian lawmaker blames Israel for massive port explosion; Iran claims it repelled large cyberattack

After the large explosion in Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, which killed at least 40 and injured some 800 people on Sunday, an Iranian lawmaker blamed Israel for the catastrophe, while authorities said they repelled a large-scaled cyberattack.

Fires have continued to blaze for almost two days following the port explosion, as Iranian fire crews were filmed using large airplanes and helicopters to drop water from above.

According to Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, about 80% of the fire had been contained by Sunday. However, additional explosions reignited the flames.

Aerial footage shows fires still burning at Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas on Monday, the third day since a massive explosion rocked the site. pic.twitter.com/CL187ikcsX

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 28, 2025

While Israeli officials have denied any involvement in the disaster, Iranian parliament member Mohammed Seraj claimed that “Israel was involved in the Rajaee Port explosion. This was not an accident.”

“Explosives were planted in containers, either at the country of origin or along the shipping route. We do not rule out internal elements helping plant the explosives,” he said, in the first allegation of its kind from an Iranian official.

“Clear evidence points to Israeli involvement. The explosion occurred at four different locations,” Seraj claimed.

In another unusual incident, following shortly after the explosion, Iranian state news outlet Tasnim reported on Monday that a large-scale cyberattack had been repelled the day before.

“One of the most extensive and complex cyberattacks against the country's infrastructure” was identified, but “preventive measures” were taken, according to the report.

Tasnim further cited the CEO of Iran’s Communications Infrastructure Company, who said the attack was repelled “by the grace of God and the efforts of the security and technical teams.”

Cyberattacks targeting Iran are often met with speculation about Israeli involvement, given the nation's decades-long shadow war against Iran’s nuclear program.

In 2020, a cyberattack crippled the Bandar Abbas port for several days, with The Washington Post reporting that Israel was responsible. In 2023, another cyberattack disrupted most gas stations across Iran, with an Israeli hacker group claiming responsibility.

Approximately two weeks ago, Ynet News security correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai reported in a column that during a recent visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, officials discussed the possibility of repeating sophisticated operations like the 2006 “Stuxnet” cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear program.

Due to the explosion, officials in the province of Hormozgan declared three days of public mourning, and authorities kept schools, universities, and workplaces in the city of Bandar Abbas closed on Sunday. The Health Ministry advised residents across the province to stay indoors due to the release of toxic gases by the blaze.

Despite Seraj’s allegations, Iranian authorities have so far maintained that the cause of the blast is still being investigated. Hossein Zafari, spokesman for Iran’s crisis management agency, blamed “improper storage” of explosive materials.

Several reports indicated that the port had recently received shipments of Chinese sodium perchlorate – a key ingredient in the production of solid rocket fuel for Iran’s ballistic missiles.

However, the Iranian Defense Ministry said reports of military materials being the cause of the explosion are “part of an enemy psychological operation.”

The Shahid Rajaee Port, which was hit by the blast and is part of the larger Bandar Abbas port infrastructure, handled 85% of Iran’s container shipping traffic and a significant portion of the country’s oil shipping, according to the Port and Maritime Organization.

Despite ongoing firefighting operations, Iranian state media reported on Sunday that port operations resumed in undamaged areas, as television coverage showed footage of containers being unloaded from a docked ship.