Iran - April 2025

On 26 April, an explosion took place at the Shahid Rajaei port, the country’s largest commercial port, killing at least 70 people and injuring over 1,000 others. Reports suggest that many unregistered migrant workers from economically marginalized provinces were likely among the victims. These individuals, whose work often goes unrecorded in official employment systems, are especially difficult to identify and reach during recovery efforts. Several workers remain missing. Officials blamed the explosion on negligence, including mislabelling of cargo and unsafe storage of combustible material. Following the incident, journalists reported increased restrictions on coverage, while the Tehran prosecutor’s office filed charges against several media outlets and social media users for allegedly sharing ‘unauthorized information’ about the blast.

Sources: Associated Press, Business and Human Rights Resource Center, Iran International, The Guardian