Dubai, January 29, 2009 (FBC) Tehran On Sunday, an explosion occurred at a military industrial factory near the central Iranian city of Isfahan, which was allegedly carried out by unidentified assailants.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, amid tensions with the West over Tehran’s nuclear activities and Russia’s supply of weapons to the Ukraine war.
Iran’s foreign minister said the “cowardly” attack was aimed at creating “danger” in Iran. The Ministry of Defense said the blast caused minor damage and no injuries. The extent of the damage could not be independently verified.
Hossein Amirabdullahin said in a televised statement to reporters, “Such measures will not affect the commitment of our experts to progress in peaceful nuclear work.”
A video by Iranian media showed a flash of light at the factory, which the official news agency IRNA described as an ammunition factory. Images of emergency vehicles and fire trucks outside the complex also show.
“At around 23:30 (2000 GMT) on Saturday night, an unsuccessful attack was carried out by micro air vehicles (MAVs) on one of the ministry’s workshop sites,” the defense ministry said in a statement on state television.
One drone was shot down and the other two were caught in anti-aircraft traps and exploded, causing minor damage to the roof of a workshop building. No injuries were reported.
The attack “did not affect our installation and mission … and such indiscriminate actions will not affect the development of the country,” the statement said.
Separately, IRN reported that a major fire broke out at a motor oil factory in an industrial zone near the northwestern city of Tabriz early Sunday. He did not release any information about the cause of the fire.
Past explosions, fires
The Islamic Republic has previously accused arch-enemy Israel of planning attacks using agents inside Iranian territory. In July, Tehran said it had captured a sabotage group made up of Kurdish militants operating in Israel who planned to blow up a “sensitive” defense industrial center in Isfahan.
An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment when asked if Israel was involved in the latest incident. Israel has said it could attack Iran if diplomacy fails to curb Tehran’s nuclear or ballistic missile programs, but has a policy of commenting on certain issues.
In Ukraine, a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky has linked the issue directly to war, accusing Iran of supplying Russia with hundreds of drones to attack civilian targets in Ukrainian cities far from the frontline.
“The logic of war is inexorable and deadly. It charges authors and collaborators hard,” tweeted Michało Podoliak. “Explosive night in Iran – drone and missile production, oil refineries. You’ve been warned.”
Several Iranian nuclear sites are located in Isfahan province, including Natanz, the center of Iran’s uranium enrichment program. They accused her of destroying Israel in 2021. Several explosions and fires have occurred at Iran’s military, nuclear and industrial sites in recent years.
In the year Talks between Iran and world powers to renew the 2015 nuclear deal have stalled since September. In the year In a 2018 deal brokered by Washington under then-President Donald Trump, Tehran agreed to ease sanctions and limit its nuclear activities.
Iran admits sending drones to Russia, but says they were sent before Moscow invaded Ukraine last year. Moscow denies its military has used Iranian drones in Ukraine, although several have been found shot down.
Iran’s religious leaders have faced internal turmoil in recent months after cracking down on anti-establishment protests sparked by the death of a woman jailed for violating strict Islamic dress codes.
Reporting by Dubai Newsroom, writing by Parisa Hafizi Editing by Daniel Wallis, Cynthia Osterman, Josie Cao, Peter Graf and Mark Heinrich
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