Port Blast Derails Diplomacy, Trump Drops Economic Hammer
As nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were abruptly postponed this weekend in Rome—just days after a devastating explosion tore through Iran’s largest port—President Donald Trump dropped a geopolitical bombshell of his own: he’s threatening to impose secondary sanctions on any nation that continues buying Iranian oil, which directly involves the nation that Trump is battling with via trade – China.
And no one is better equipped to analyze this volatile intersection than Alireza Jafarzadeh and Mohammad Mohaddessin, spokesmen for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)—a group that has exposed Iran’s secret nuclear facilities for two decades and advocates for regime change in Tehran.
Trump’s Message:
ALERT: All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions. They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form. Thank you for your attention to this matter, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
In 2023, China purchased over 90% of Iran’s oil exports.
This isn’t just about oil. It’s about escalation. It’s about trade. It’s about war.
Here’s the flashpoint:
- The explosion in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s busiest port, injured over 1,000 people and reportedly damaged up to 10,000 containers.
- Early reports point to the cause: solid fuel components for ballistic missiles, likely imported from China.
- This came the same weekend U.S.-Iran nuclear talks were to resume.
- Trump’s counterpunch? Threaten economic obliteration for any nation supporting Iran—including Beijing.
This trifecta—tariffs, sabotage, and sanctions—has turned the Iran-U.S. standoff into a triangular confrontation that directly involves China.
NCRI experts are available to comment on:
- Why the Iran-China military-industrial relationship poses a global threat.
- What the explosion at the port really signals—and who might be behind it.
- How Trump’s renewed pressure campaign could isolate both Iran and China.
- Why Americans should care before this becomes more than just economic warfare.
- The regime in Tehran is cornered, but desperate. And desperate regimes don’t go quietly.
Available to discuss this massive cover up is NCRI’s Mohammad Mohaddessin – Chairman, NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee and Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI Deputy Director.
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)
Trump threatens sanctions against buyers of Iranian oil | AP News
Next round of Iran-US nuclear talks postponed
Optional Q&A
- What evidence do you have linking the recent Iran port explosion to Chinese missile components?
- Why was the explosion timed so closely to the now-postponed nuclear negotiations in Rome? Coincidence or sabotage?
- How deep is the military and economic partnership between Iran and China today—and how dangerous is it for the West?
- With Trump threatening sanctions on nations that buy Iranian oil, what pressure could that put on China and Tehran?
- Do you believe the Iran regime is more vulnerable now than it has been in recent years? Why or why not?
- Is there credible intelligence that this explosion was an intentional strike—possibly by Israel or an internal dissident effort?
- What would a collapse of nuclear negotiations mean for the Iranian people and the region as a whole?
- How does the NCRI envision a post-regime Iran—and what support do you need from the international community to get there?
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
