The minister, who is involved in Israel's security activities, said he did not know whether the leaks were Israeli or foreign, but stressed that "in these situations the right policy is ambiguity." Nuclear in Natanz "
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani examines Iranian nuclear program in Tehran on Tuesday
Photo:
Reuters
The minister involved in Israel's security activities told Israel Today that "leaks about the actions attributed to Israel in Iran are wrong and harm Israeli targets." "In these situations the right policy is ambiguity.
So it was in the past and so it should be today.
The leaks are harmful. "
Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javed Zarif attacked Israel, saying it was responsible for the "malfunction" that occurred yesterday at the Netanz nuclear facility.
Shortly afterwards, the Iranian news agency ISNA reported that "the identity of the person responsible for damaging the power grid at the Natanz facility".
PM Netanyahu after the incident at the Netanz facility, yesterday: "The fight against Iranian armaments is a huge task" // Photo: Roi Avraham, GPO
"The Zionists want revenge for our success in removing the oppressive sanctions, but we will not allow it and we will retaliate for these actions, carried out by the Zionists themselves," Zarif told state media, where they reported last night a large fire broke out at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. .
The cause of the fire is unknown and no official response has been received from the authorities in the country.
At a press conference convened this morning by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibazadeh, he said there was no pollution and no casualties in the incident in Natanz, but that it could cause disaster.
"The case can be considered an action against humanity."
He added that "if the aim in this case was to limit Iran's nuclear capability, I must say the opposite - all centrifuges that have been taken out of use are of the IR1 type, and will be replaced by a more advanced type of centrifuge."
According to an unverified report from Iran, the chairman of the Iranian parliament's energy committee, Roz Kamalbandi, was injured during a visit to the Natanz site, but it is not clear whether the injury was related to a fire that took place there or not.
A spokesman for the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, Bahruz al-Malibandi, said yesterday that "a malfunction had affected the power supply to the Netanz nuclear facility" and that there were no casualties or pollution as a result of the incident.
The "malfunction" occurred a day just after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani boasted that Tehran had improved its nuclear capabilities, and that it intended to increase heavy water production - contrary to the nuclear agreements Iran had signed with the powers.
Tonight it was reported in the New York Times that the damage to the Natanz facility was caused by a huge explosion at the facility, which completely destroyed the internal electrical system of the underground centrifuges.
Two anonymous intelligence sources who spoke with the American newspaper estimated that the explosion caused at the site had caused a severe blow to Iran's ability to enrich uranium, and that it might take at least nine months to resume production at the nuclear facility.
According to intelligence sources in Israel and the United States, Israel had a role in the operation.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salahi, said yesterday that the sabotage was the result of "nuclear terrorism" and that the attackers sought to sabotage his country's nuclear capability. "The incident shows the failure of resistance to Iran's industrial and nuclear development. The nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions, "said the Iranian official.
"This is a nuclear terrorist attack and we reserve the right to respond," Salahi added.
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Khatami also said his country had been attacked: "This is a foreign sabotage operation carried out by Iran's enemies."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday hinted at Israel's involvement in the attack on the Natanz reactor, saying that "the fight against Iran in its metastases and with Iranian armaments is a huge task. The situation that exists today does not mean that it will exist tomorrow."
Speaking on the occasion of the country's 73rd Independence Day, Netanyahu said that "it is very difficult to explain what we have accomplished here in Israel, in this transition from complete helplessness unparalleled in the history of nations to a world power that we have managed to produce here. "I wish all of us to continue on this path, and to continue to keep the sword of David in your hands."
Participated in the preparation of the article: Sefi Fishman
