Iran state TV identifies man it says was behind nuclear site blast
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TEHERAN • Iran's state television has identified a man it said was behind a recent explosion and power outage at its main Natanz nuclear plant.
"Reza Karimi, the perpetrator of this sabotage... has been identified" by Iran's Intelligence Ministry, state TV said yesterday.
It said the suspect had fled Iran before last Sunday's blast, which the Islamic republic has blamed on arch-foe Israel.
The report showed what it said was a photograph of the suspected perpetrator on a red card that had "Interpol Wanted" written on it. The card listed his age as 43.
"Necessary steps are under way for his arrest and return to the country through legal channels," the report added.
State TV also aired footage of rows of what it said were centrifuges that had replaced the ones damaged in the blast at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.
The report added that "a large number" of centrifuges whose enrichment activity was disrupted by the explosion had been returned to normal service.
Iran blamed Israel for the attack and vowed to retaliate.
It also responded by ramping up uranium enrichment to 60 per cent purity, far above the 3.67 per cent cap allowed under a 2015 deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
Israel - which Teheran refuses to recognise as a state - opposes the deal, an accord that Iran and United States President Joe Biden are trying to revive after former US president Donald Trump abandoned it in 2018 and reinstated harsh economic sanctions on Iran.
Talks aimed at salvaging the JCPOA resumed yesterday.
The European Union said yesterday's talks would involve EU officials and representatives from Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia - other signatories to the deal - as well as Iran.
REUTERS, BLOOMBERG, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
