Tehran reveals picture of Natanz blast suspect
Iranian state television confirmed the name of a man it said is suspected of damaging centrifuges in an attack on the Natanz nuclear site.
It said Reza Karimi, 43, fled the country “hours before” an explosion at the plant.
The April 11 attack happened as Iran negotiates with world powers over bringing the US back into a nuclear deal and lifting economic sanctions.
The state television report showed a passport-style photograph of a man it identified as Mr Karimi. It said he was born in Kashan, Iran.
What appeared to be an Interpol “red notice” seeking Mr Karimi’s arrest was shown. It was not immediately accessible on Interpol’s public database and the organisation did not confirm that a red notice had been issued.
The TV report said “necessary actions” were under way to return Mr Karimi to Iran through legal channels. It was the first time the authorities acknowledged that there had been an explosion at Natanz.
The incident was first described as a power cut, but Iranian officials then began calling it an attack.
There was a “limited explosion of a small part of the electricity-feeding path to the centrifuges’ hall”, the report said. “The explosion happened because of the function of explosive materials and there was no cyber attack.”
Reports in Israeli media said the damage was caused by a cyber attack.
The Iranian report showed centrifuges in a hall, as well as what appeared to be a cordoned-off area at Natanz.
“The sound that you are hearing is the sound of operating machines that are fortunately undamaged,” says a technician, with the high-pitched whine of the centrifuges in the background.
“Many of the centrifuge chains that faced defects are now under control. Part of the work that had been disrupted will be back on track with the round-the-clock efforts of my colleagues.”
Iran has started to enrich uranium at up to 60 per cent purity in response to the attack – three times higher than before, though in small quantities.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, though the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Tehran had an organised military nuclear programme until the end of 2003.
A US intelligence report last week maintained the long-held American assessment that Iran is not currently trying to build a nuclear bomb.