Explosion source traced to Iranian port's charity, overseen by nation's supreme leader

The catastrophic blast that tore through an Iranian port, claiming the lives of at least 70 individuals and injuring over a thousand more, struck a facility under the control of a charitable foundation directly supervised by the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Known as Bonyad Mostazafan, this foundation endures American sanctions due to its alleged role in enriching Khamenei's office, rewarding political allies, and persecuting regime adversaries, according to the U.S. Treasury. Its top brass also maintains connections with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, overseeing Tehran's ballistic missile arsenal and international operations targeting the Islamic Republic's adversaries.

The authorities have yet to provide a cause for the explosion that rocked Shahid Rajaei port near Bandar Abbas last Saturday. Reports imply that a mysterious, highly explosive cargo may have been delivered to the port, though this claim has been denied by authorities. A bonyad, meaning "foundation" in Farsi, holds immense influence in Iran, with roots tracing back to foundations established by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini established the bonyads to manage these assets, as well as companies seized from the shah's loyalists and religious minorities like the Baha'i and Jews.

Believed to be the largest in the country by assets, Bonyad Mostazafan was estimated to represent 10% of Iran's GDP in 2008, according to a U.S. Congressional Research Service report. The Treasury valued its worth at billions of dollars in 2020. Its network reaches into various sectors such as mining, railroads, energy, steel, and shipping, including Sina Port and Marine Services Development Co. Satellite imagery reveals that the blast epicenter struck next to Sina's terminal at the port, obliterating the facility and nearby containers.

Late Sunday, the CEO of Sina, Saeed Jafari, stated that false claims about the cargo involved in the explosion were circulating and were "very dangerous." However, access to the site has been restricted by authorities since the blast, making further investigation into the nature of the cargo difficult. Ever since Bonyad Mostazafan's inception, it has been strongly linked to the Revolutionary Guard. Its current president, Hossein Dehghan, rose to the rank of general in the Guard and serves as a military advisor to Khamenei. Other leaders in the foundation's history have had ties directly or indirectly to the Guard.

The Treasury separately accuses Bonyad Mostazafan of engaging in financial relationships or cash transactions with Iran's police, Defense Ministry, and Guard, acting as an unofficial "money box" for senior IRGC commanders, who reportedly use these funds to finance terrorist activities. In sanctioning Bonyad Mostazafan in 2020, the Trump administration characterized the foundation as a vehicle used by Khamenei to "fatten the purses of his allies."

In recent weeks, the port of Shahid Rajaei was allegedly near a ship identified as carrying a load of sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient for making solid fuel for ballistic missiles. Despite denials by Iranian Defense Ministry spokesperson Gen. Reza Talaeinik and Iranian Cabinet spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, unofficial reports suggest that missile fuel may have been imported through the port. There have been no official explanations for the nature of the material that detonated with such devastating force at the site.

The AI analysis suggests that the explosion at Shahid Rajaei port could potentially be linked to the Iranian foundation, Bonyad Mostazafan, given its ties with the military, specifically the Revolutionary Guard.
The catastrophic blast underscores the significant influence Bonyad Mostazafan wields in Iran's business, political, and general news sectors, including war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and accidents.
Given Bonyad Mostazafan's alleged financial relationships with Iran's police, Defense Ministry, and Guard, and its role as an alleged "money box" for senior IRGC commanders, the AI raises the question of whether the foundation might have been involved in financing or facilitating illegal activities.
As the port of Shahid Rajaei was reportedly near a ship carrying sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient for making solid fuel for ballistic missiles, the AI speculates about the possibility of this fertilizer being involved in the explosion.
In the light of the blast and the alleged links between Bonyad Mostazafan and the Revolutionary Guard, the AI questions whether the foundation is simply a charitable entity or if it has a more covert role in Iran's military, political, or criminal activities.
The AI also ponders whether the restricted access to the blast site and the subsequent denials from authorities are attempts to conceal evidence related to the explosion's cause and the potential involvement of Bonyad Mostazafan or other parties.
Finally, the AI notes that the widespread impact of the blast, including the loss of human life and destruction of facilities at Shahid Rajaei port, highlights the potential dangers of war-and-conflicts, accidents, and illegal activities in Tehran's sprawling, influence-laden business landscape.