Israel Matzav

Breaking: Explosion in Isfahan, home of Iranian uranium enrichment plant (UPDATED x2)

Reports are coming in regarding an explosion in Isfahan, Iran, where Iran has a uranium enrichment plant.

A explosion rocked the western Iranian city of Isfahan on Monday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, adding that the blast was heard in several parts of the city.

...

The Revolutionary Guard said the accidental explosion occurred while military personnel were transporting munitions.

It should be noted that Iran operates a uranium conversion plant near Isfahan, one with an important function in the chain of Iran's nuclear program.

Richard Silverstein will report - maybe correctly but without any basis - that the Mossad is behind the explosion in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1....

Heh.

UPDATE 8:00 PM

Israel Radio reports that the Mehr news agency in Iran is denying this story, claiming that it was a training exercise. The original source for the story is FARS, another Iranian news agency.

I have seen reports of broken windows in the area (emails - not linkable) and according to one expert with whom I am in contact, if in face the uranium enrichment plants has been hit, there is a risk of nuclear contamination.

UPDATE 9:19 PM

Here are some more details about the Iranian denials from YNet.

In a curious turn of events, shortly after the initial report was published, the item was removed from the news agency's website, which is affiliated with the country's Revolutionary Guard.

Hours later, conflicting reports began to surface, the deputy governor of Isfahan province telling Iran's Mehr news agency that there was no report of a major explosion in the province.

"So far no report of a major explosion has been heard from any government body in Isfahan," he was quoted as saying.

However, the news agency also quoted another Iranian media outlet as saying that a blast took place at a petrol station in a town near Isfahan.

Meanwhile, the head of Isfahan province judiciary told Isna news agency that an explosion-like sound was heard across the city.

"In the afternoon, there was a noise like an explosion, but we don't have any information from security forces on the source of the noise," Gholamreza Ansari was quoted as saying.

The uranium conversion plant is an integral part of Iran's nuclear program, where urania, also known as Yellowcake, is processed into uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6).

From there, the gas is transferred to Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz and Qom.

I'd bet on the explosions having taken place.

Labels: Iranian nuclear threat, Isfahan, uranium enrichment

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:26 PM