by Maya Cohen
"This location and port are extremely critical to the survival of the Iranian regime," expert Sabti emphasized.
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The mass explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, which took place on Saturday, has significantly impacted the Iranian regime, according to Beni Sabti, an expert Iran researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
The port that blew up in the southern Iranian city "is the most important port for the Iranian regime," said Sabti in a Sunday Ma'ariv interview.
Sabti explained that the reason for the port's importance is "not only because it's the largest port in Iran, but because the hub is used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to transfer weapons to terror organizations like Hezbollah and the Houthis, and to illegally transfer oil to China."
"Various tankers operate there, disappearing and reappearing, essentially collecting oil from the port or bringing in goods that Iran needs," Sabti continued.
"This location and this port are extremely critical to the survival of the Iranian regime," he emphasized.
Sabti was hesitant about determining what the cause of the explosion was.
"It’s still very early to know whether it was an accident or deliberate sabotage," Sabti said.
"Personally, I find it hard to believe it was sabotage, especially at this time, given the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States," he added.
Response to claims that the explosion was attributed to Israel
Sabti addressed the claims that the explosion was attributed to Israel, saying, "It's common and widespread for some Iranian regime-affiliated figures to blame Israel. Officially, however, the regime is refraining from doing so – possibly because it’s not in their interest at this time."
Sabti also remarked on the magnitude of the explosion, calling the "damage very severe."
"The situation is very, very difficult. There are fatalities and hundreds of injured at the scene. Some are comparing this explosion to the one that occurred in Lebanon a few years ago, which destroyed everything. Of course, it’s not on the same scale, but it’s still a very large explosion," he said.
He also noted that the consequences of the explosion could be particularly serious if critical infrastructure were damaged.
The potential damage of the explosion
"The section that exploded is very, very vital to the Iranian regime’s survival," Sabti explained, adding, "If infrastructure important to the IRGC’s oil transfer operations or the reception of vital goods was damaged, it could have a significant impact."
"There are rumors right now that Iran may have been storing missile fuel there [at the port], possibly imported from China." However, Sabti stressed, "This is just a rumor, and it must be emphasized as such."
"The information is still unclear, and we need to wait for various confirmations. It’s possible that the Iranian regime will conceal the truth," Sabti continued.
"In any case, there is damage that could prove significant to the Iranian regime’s economy, especially affecting the IRGC and the weapons they transfer or receive," Sabti concluded.
Maya Cohen
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-851637
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