Explosion at Main Iranian Port Points to Recklessness of IRGC and Iranian Regime DURING Negotiations
The recent explosion at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port — which affected over 10,000 containers — is no mere accident. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the blast was caused by components of solid fuel for missiles, linked directly to a company owned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Another report had the solid fuel components coming from China. In any event, as the Trump administration views nuclear talks with jaundiced eyes, the explosion clearly reflects poorly on the Iranian regime, which is increasingly being crippled.
The explosion not only resulted in more than 40 innocent lives lost and over 1,000 injured, but it also signals the increasing recklessness of a regime that continues to cripple its own economy.
The NCRI, which is calling for regime change, has its own candidate for President – Maryam Rajavi. Mohammad Mohaddessin – Chairman, NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee and Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of NCRI are both available for interviews to discuss this explosive reality.
The port explosion, which occurred in one of the country’s most vital commercial hubs, serves as a stark reminder of the Iranian regime’s dangerous priorities. Instead of focusing on the welfare of its people, the regime has allowed missile components — and their volatile, highly destructive nature — to be stored in civilian areas. This reckless decision is an extension of a broader policy in which the Iranian leadership prioritizes its military and nuclear ambitions over the lives of its citizens.
The NCRI argues that this explosion is just one more symptom of a regime that is self-destructive in nature. As Iran’s economy continues to unravel under the weight of international sanctions, mismanagement, and corruption, the regime’s actions only worsen the situation. By funneling resources into military ventures — particularly missile development — and ignoring basic economic needs, the Iranian regime is exacerbating its own collapse, further alienating its people, and accelerating the country’s economic decline.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the NCRI’s Washington office, and Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasize that this incident underscores the urgency of a change in approach. Rather than offering the regime more concessions in nuclear talks, the international community must hold it accountable for its destructive actions. Regime change, they argue, is the only real solution to restoring stability and ensuring that Iran’s future is shaped by the aspirations of its people, not the whims of a brutal, self-serving leadership.
Speakers Available:
Alireza Jafarzadeh – Deputy Director, NCRI-US
Mohammad Mohaddessin – Chairman, NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee
Available for interviews, commentaries, and briefings.
Speakers Available:
Alireza Jafarzadeh – Deputy Director, NCRI-US
Mohammad Mohaddessin – Chairman, NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee
Other Speakers Available:
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Ali Safavi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Related Article(s)
Iran calls Trump’s offer to negotiate a new nuclear deal “a deception”
Optional Q&A
- How should the international community interpret the timing of the explosion at Shahid Rajaee port, which happened just as nuclear negotiations resumed, and what does it reveal about the regime’s internal instability?
- Why does the NCRI believe that any agreement with the current Iranian regime — even if it delays nuclear enrichment — ultimately fails to secure peace or stability?
- The NCRI advocates for a secular, democratic Iran. What concrete steps should Western governments take today to support regime change rather than inadvertently prolonging the dictatorship?
- Some argue that negotiating with the regime is necessary to avoid war. How do you respond to claims that isolating or confronting Tehran would increase the risk of conflict?
- How do recent internal protests, strikes, and economic collapse within Iran affect the regime’s stability and the prospects for a democratic transition?
- There are many Iranian opposition groups abroad. What distinguishes the NCRI from other organizations claiming to represent the Iranian people?
- What role does the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) play in Iran’s negotiations strategy — and why is dismantling the IRGC critical to any real solution?
- What would a post-regime Iran look like under the NCRI’s 10-point plan, and how would it contribute to regional and global security?
ABOUT MOHAMMAD MOHADDESSIN…
Mr. Mohammad Mohaddessin, is the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). NCRI is a coalition of various political tendencies and democratic forces working to establish a free and pluralistic republic based on democratic values.
Mohammad Mohaddessin was born in Qom, Iran, the son of a Grand Ayatollah who was opposed to the regime. He studied both in religious seminary and modern education.
In the 1970s, While he was a student in Iran’s most prestigious Sharif University, in 1975 he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years for his affiliation with the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) and opposition to the shah dictatorship. While in prison he was severely tortured.
Mohaddessin has lectured on numerous international forums on Iranian affairs and has represented the Iranian resistance in many international events and conferences.
He has written extensively on political and religious regional issue in Iran and the region. He is the author of “Islamic Fundamentalism: The New Global Threat”, published in 1993 (Seven Locks Press, Washington) in which he addressed the emerging threat of Islamic fundamentalism in the world.
In addition to many articles and essays, Mr. Mohaddessin has authored several other books, including Enemies of Ayatollahs, Democracy Betrayed and The Unethical Policy.
ABOUT ALIREZA JAFARZADEH…
Alireza Jafarzadeh serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He is also the author of The Iran Threat (Palgrave MacMillan, New York, 2008).
A recognized expert on Iranian policy, Jafarzadeh has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. His groundbreaking work in 2002 and 2003 led to the discovery of key illicit nuclear sites in Iran, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the Arak heavy water plant, the Kalaye Electric centrifuge testing facility near Tehran, and the Lashkar Ab’ad laser enrichment facility. These revelations prompted the first-ever inspections of Iranian nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Jafarzadeh is a frequent guest on major television and radio networks, including CBS Evening News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and France 24. His insights have also been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Time, and The Hill.
ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI…
Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.
He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi’s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.
ABOUT ALI SAFAVI…
Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.
Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.
CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001 / Bookings@SeasonalLiving.com
