On April 26, a devastating explosion tore through Iran’s bustling port city of Bandar Abbas, claiming 57 lives and injuring over 1,200 people. The blast was centered at the Shahid Rajaee port, Iran’s largest container hub, and sent shockwaves through the city, shattering windows and damaging infrastructure for miles. Authorities are still investigating the cause, with preliminary reports pointing to mishandled chemicals, though speculation about sabotage persists.

Amid this tragedy, the Iranian people’s response has revealed a critical lesson for American policymakers. Iran’s capacity for unity in the face of crisis should not be underestimated, as it was decades ago by Saddam Hussein.

Despite economic hardships and political discontent, Iranians have rallied together in the wake of the Bandar Abbas explosion. Across the country, citizens lined up to donate blood for the injured A grassroots Iranian folk music festival in Bushehr was transformed into a mourning solidarity show, with organizers cutting it short out of respect for the catastrophe.

Doctors and psychologists across the country offered to help the injured and those traumatized by the catastrophe. Auto mechanics volunteered to repair damaged vehicles for free, while others sent glass to repair broken windows in homes.

This response challenges the narrative propagated by some Iranian opposition groups and Western analysts, who argue that public........

© The Hill