Iran blames Israel for Isfahan drone attack

Iran blamed Israel for a drone attack on a military factory near the central city of Isfahan, the semi-official ISNA news agency said yesterday, vowing revenge for what appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running covert war.

The attack came amid tension between Iran and the West over Teheran’s nuclear activity and its supply of arms, including longrange suicide drones, for Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as months of anti-government demonstrations at home.

In a letter to the United Nations chief, Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, said “primary investigation suggested Israel was responsible” for Saturday night’s attack, which Teheran had said caused no casualties or serious damage.

“Iran reserves its legitimate and inherent right to defend its national security and firmly respond to any threat or wrongdoing of the Zionist regime (Israel) wherever and whenever it deems necessary,” Iravani said.

“This action undertaken by the Zionist regime goes against international law.”

Arch-foe Israel has long said it is willing to strike Iranian targets if diplomacy fails to curb Teheran’s nuclear or missile programmes, but does not comment on specific incidents.

Talks between Iran and world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal have stalled since September.

Under the pact, abandoned by Washington in 2018 under thenpresident Donald Trump, Teheran agreed to limit nuclear work in return for easing of sanctions.

Iran has accused Israel in the past of planning attacks using agents in Iranian territory.

In July, Teheran said it had arrested a sabotage team of Kurdish militants working for Israel who planned to blow up a “sensitive” defence industry centre in Isfahan.

“The equipment and explosives used in the Isfahan attack were transferred into Iran with the help of anti-revolutionary groups based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region under orders by a foreign security service,” Iran’s Nournews said on Wednesday.

Several nuclear sites are located in Isfahan province, including Natanz, the centrepiece of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, which Iran accuses Israel of sabotaging in 2021.