Hours after a power outage at an underground nuclear facility, local media reported a fire that broke out at the site • Reports that a senior Iranian was injured during a visit to the site • Iran's nuclear agency chairman said the attack on the uranium enrichment facility was a "terrorist act"
Previous damage to uranium enrichment facility in Iran // Photo: AP
Centrifuge development facility at Natanz after previous attack // Photo: AFP
Advanced centrifuges in Natanz // Photo: AP
Iranian media reported tonight (Sunday) that a large fire broke out in the underground uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, after a serious failure in the electricity systems occurred this morning.
The cause of the fire is unknown and so far no official response has been received from the authorities in the country.
An unverified report from Iran claims that the chairman of the Iranian parliament's energy committee, Haroz Kamelbandi, was injured during a visit to the Natanz site, it is not clear whether the injury was related to a fire that took place there or not.
Earlier, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salahi, said the sabotage at Iran's centrifuge enrichment facility in Netanz was the result of "nuclear terrorism" and that the attackers sought to sabotage his country's nuclear capability.
"The incident shows the failure of opposition to Iran's industrial and nuclear development as well as the failure of opposition to talks on the nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions," the Iranian official said.
Salahi added: "This is a nuclear terrorist attack and we reserve the right to respond."
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Khatami also said his country had been attacked, adding that "this is a foreign sabotage operation carried out by Iran's enemies."
Earlier in the day, Iranian parliament energy committee chairman Haroz Kamelbandi announced today (Sunday) that Tehran suspects the incident that occurred last night at the Natanz nuclear reactor was caused by deliberate sabotage, the Iranian news agency Fares reported.
The "malfunction" occurred exactly one day after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani boasted that Iran had improved its nuclear capabilities and intended to increase heavy water production - contrary to nuclear agreements.
A spokesman for the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, Bahruz Kamalbandi, said this morning that "a malfunction in the supply of electricity to the Natanz nuclear facility, there were no casualties or pollution as a result of the incident."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced yesterday the opening of the second phase of the heavy water production facility in Iraq, as well as further developments in the nuclear field - all in violation of the nuclear agreement Iran signed with the superpowers and which it negotiated with the United States in Vienna.
