Disasters & Accidents

Explosion was behind Natanz blackout: Iranian TV claims

Tehran, Apr 17 (EFE).- The detonation of an explosive device is to blame for the power outage that hit the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, the Iranian state-run TV said on Saturday.

 “A small explosion destroyed a small part of the power supply path to the centrifuge room,” Iranian TV said on its website citing “images of the scene provided by security sources.”

 “The blast was caused by an explosive device and no cyber-attack was reported,” it said, adding that “the process of replacing the damaged centrifuges is in progress.”

 The 100,000 square-meter facility is located in central Iran, much of it is meters underground to avoid attacks.

The incident occurred on 11 April, when “hundreds” of first-generation centrifuges to enrich uranium were destroyed according to the official narrative, which does not specify the exact number.

Iran held Israel responsible for the attack, while the Hebrew country has not confirmed nor denied its involvement.

Sunday’s incident came not long after the signatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal met in Vienna in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the accord, which saw Tehran swap in much of its nuclear program for a partial lifting of international sanctions.

Donald Trump’s White House withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. In response, Iranian authorities gradually begin to ramp up their uranium enrichment program.

Tehran on Friday said it had managed to produce uranium enriched at 60 percent, the highest degree the Islamic Republic has ever reached.  EFE

ar/ta/jt

Related Articles

Back to top button