Senior Iranian official accuses Israel of placing explosives in centrifuge equipment

Illustrative: In this image made from April 17, 2021, video released by the Islamic Republic Iran Broadcasting, IRIB, state-run TV, various centrifuge machines line the hall damaged on April 11, 2021, at the Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility, some 200 miles (322 km) south of the capital Tehran. (IRIB via AP)
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL | Published January 15, 2025

Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was foreign minister when Iran and world powers agreed to the 2015 nuclear deal and is now vice president for strategic affairs, alleged in a recent interview that Israel once planted explosives in Iranian centrifuge equipment, according to a translation of his remarks by Iran International.

“Our colleagues had purchased a centrifuge platform for the Atomic Energy Organization, and it was discovered that explosives had been embedded inside it, which they managed to detect,” the opposition outlet quotes Zarif as telling the Hozour program.

He didn’t specify when the alleged incident occurred or mention Natanz, where former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen has intimated that Israel blew up Iran’s underground centrifuge facility in 2021.

In this file photo from February 23, 2021, Iran’s then-foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif addresses a conference in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Zarif in the interview also decried sanctions on Iran, blaming them for forcing Tehran to turn to intermediaries — opening up vulnerabilities in the supply chain that Israel can take advantage of.

“Instead of being able to order equipment directly from the manufacturer, sanctions force you to rely on multiple intermediaries for such purchases,” he said. “If the Zionist regime infiltrates even one of the intermediaries, they can do anything and embed anything they want, which is exactly what happened.”

“The issue with the pagers in Lebanon turned out to be a multi-year process, meticulously orchestrated by the Zionists,” he noted, referring to the blasts in September directed against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.

 

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SOURCE: www.timesofisrael.com

RELATED: Iranian official alleges Israel sabotaged nuclear equipment with explosives

Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif claims explosives found in centrifuge platforms bought for Tehran’s nuclear program; President Massoud Pezeshkian warns Iran will react to any attact on its nuclear facilities; “We do not fear War”

Mohammad Javad Zarif (Photo:Reuters)
YNET NEWS | Published January 15, 2025

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s vice president for strategic affairs and former foreign minister, has accused Israel of embedding explosives in centrifuge components acquired for Tehran’s nuclear program in what he described as an undisclosed attempt by Israel to sabotage Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

In a statement reported by the opposition-linked Persian-language media outlet Iran International, Zarif said, “Our colleagues procured a centrifuge platform for the Atomic Energy Organization, only to discover that explosives had been implanted within it.” Zarif did not specify when the alleged incident occurred.

The claim follows a series of reported acts of sabotage targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, including a 2021 explosion at the Natanz centrifuge plant, which Tehran labeled as “nuclear terrorism.” While Iran has not fully detailed the incident, Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement.
Zarif highlighted the security vulnerabilities created by international sanctions on Iran, which he said forced the country to rely on intermediaries for acquiring sensitive equipment. “Instead of sourcing equipment directly from manufacturers, sanctions compel us to work through multiple intermediaries,” Zarif explained. “If Israel infiltrates even one intermediary, they can plant anything, as they did in this case.”
In response to the incident, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reportedly confiscated communication devices and conducted extensive security checks to prevent recurrence. Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority also banned electronic devices, including cellphones, on commercial flights.
“This is one of the many damages caused by sanctions,” Zarif added. “Beyond economic losses, they have created significant security risks.”

 

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SOURCE: www.ynetnews.com

 

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