The representative of Bandar Abbas in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, after 15 days since the terrible explosion in Bandar Rigai, said: “The fire has still not been completely extinguished and only the danger has decreased.” This representative, knowingly or unknowingly, has revealed the tragedies that indicate two terrible disasters: negligence and lack of crisis management on one hand, and the long-standing pain of Sistan and Baluchestan, namely “being stateless.” He added: “Some of the workers in Sistan and Baluchestan province, who are Baluch, do not have birth certificates and live in remote villages, and I am sure their families are still unaware of this incident and their fate.” He also said: “Some bodies have not yet been identified. Some bodies are completely destroyed or turned into powder and no traces of them remain.” (1) The Bandar Rigai incident is a reflection of the complete mismanagement of tribal and rent-seeking practices, the lack

According to statistics reported by government media, the official death toll of this incident is currently 70 people, and approximately 1,200 people have also suffered deep or superficial injuries. (2) Local authorities have stated that the intensity of the explosion has been such that in many cases, the bodies have been so burned or destroyed that identification has only been possible through DNA testing. (3) Reports from Bandar Abbas Hospital also confirm that many of the injured have burns over 50% of their body and require transfer to specialized burn centers in Tehran and Shiraz. These numbers only show a part of the tragedy, as local accounts indicate that there are still many families who are completely unaware of the fate of their loved ones. The issue of missing persons is one of the main concerns of families and the public. According to official reports, at least 11 people were present in the area at the time of the explosion, but so far there has been no trace of them. (4) Rescue

During the first hours and days after the explosion at the Rajai port, domestic media faced serious challenges in providing accurate and transparent information. Initial reports were mostly vague and incomplete, and in many cases, information censorship was clearly observed. In a situation where rapid and transparent communication was crucial for crisis management, the media refrained from disclosing details of the incident and the exact number of casualties. Unofficial media outlets attempted to portray the human and real dimensions of the tragedy, but this information was only made available to the public after delays and struggles with government institutions. Such an approach not only reveals the incompetence in crisis management, but also intensifies public distrust towards the media and official communication mechanisms.

Simplifying a complex disaster.

In a brief reaction, Ayatollah Khamenei considered the explosion as “bitter incidents” that should be “compensated for”. (8) These remarks are clear examples of simplifying a worrying human tragedy. In a system where the leader is at the head of all institutions, reducing a crisis to an “incident” and only recommending “compensation” not only lacks responsibility, but also turns into a normalization of injustice and denial of the structural crisis. While citizens are dying in the south, the government is not even willing to be transparently accountable. After Khamenei’s remarks, the government announced that the process of paying compensation has begun in collaboration with insurance companies (9) and tried to show that it has acted “revolutionarily” in implementing the leader’s orders. However, previous experiences, from the Plasco building fire to the Nishapur train accident and the metro incident, have shown that paying compensation is not only a healing for the pain of the

Forgotten South.

Despite its key role in the country’s logistical and economic structure, Bandar Abbas is one of the most underprivileged regions in Iran in terms of human welfare indicators. From the drinking water crisis to severe air pollution, from lack of safety education to uninsured employment, the south has been wounded and its people have been placed in economic crises. The reality is that the environmental situation in the south is completely contradictory to its economic share in the national gross domestic product. The workers who lost their lives in Bandar-e Jask were not only victims of the explosion, but also victims of cycles of marginalization, geographical discrimination, and lack of institutional support, cycles that the Islamic Republic has reproduced in its 46 years of existence.

The explosion in Bandar-e Rajaei is just one of the recurring crises in the structure of the Islamic Republic, a crisis that becomes more apparent with each tragedy: a system without preventive planning, a transparent and accountable structure, and a political will for reform. If this path continues, future disasters are not only possible, but inevitable. What happened today in Bandar Abbas is another warning for a society that can no longer hear official condolences and empty promises.

Notes:

1- Bandar Abbas Representative: The fire in Shahid Rajaei Port has not been completely extinguished yet, some of the bodies have turned to ashes.

Fararu.

Escape.

“21st of Ordibehesht, 1404.”

2- The latest details of the explosion in Shahid Rajaei Port/ 2 managers in connection with the incident in Rajaei Port have been arrested.

Noor News.

, 27 Ordibehesht 1404.

3- Identification of 2 missing persons from the Shahid Rajaei Port incident.

Irna.

, 17 Ordibehesht 1404.

4- The body of the missing employee was found at the Shahid Rajaei port/ Secondary explosions took Ismail’s life.

Online News.

, 10th of Ordibehesht month, 1404.

5- 11 missing people in the explosion incident at Shahid Rajaei port.

Fararu.

This is a name and does not have a direct translation. It could be a person’s name or a brand name.

May 5th, 2025.

6- Identification of 2 missing individuals from the explosion in Rajaei Port.

Mashregh News.

, 17 Ordibehesht 1404.

7- Report on the disappearance of two cousins in the explosion of Shahid Rajaei Port.

Last news.

“15th of Ordibehesht month, 1404.”

8- Emphasis of the Leader of the Revolution on resolving the issues of institutions in Shahid Rajaee Port.

Mashreq News

, 14th of Ordibehesht month, 1404.

9- The fate of the victims of the explosion in Shahid Rajaei port has been determined.

Khabar Online.

“9 Ordibehesht month 1404.”