News / Middle East

Iran Claims Terror Blasts Cut Power to Nuclear Site

Fereidoun Abbasi Davani, Iran's Vice President and Head of Atomic Energy Organization delivers a speech at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 17, 2012.
Fereidoun Abbasi Davani, Iran's Vice President and Head of Atomic Energy Organization delivers a speech at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 17, 2012.
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VOA News
Iran says power lines to its primary underground nuclear facility at Fordo were cut last month by explosive blasts set off by "terrorists and saboteurs."

The head of Iran's atomic agency, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, made the comments Monday at a meeting in Vienna of the United Nations atomic watchdog member states.  He did not say who was responsible.

Iran has in the past blamed the United States and Israel for targeting its nuclear program and scientists.

The Iranian comments come as European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she will meet Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in Istanbul on Tuesday.  She said the meeting is "part of continuing efforts to engage with Iran."

Talks between world powers and Iran in Moscow in June failed to reach a breakthrough. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that a political solution is still possible.

Russia said Monday that ministers from six world powers plan to meet with Iranian negotiators on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting next week.

Iran's Abbasi-Davani is expected Monday to meet with with U.N. nuclear inspection chief Yukiya Amano in further negotiations.

Iran is under international sanctions for its controversial nuclear program. Tehran says its program is peaceful while Western nations, Israel and U.N. nuclear experts have expressed fears that Iran is working towards development of a nuclear weapon.
   
Increased uranium enrichment activity at the Fordo site has raised concerns because it can be a step in weapon development. Iran says the increased enrichment is for medical and energy needs.

The site is dug deep into a mountain, making threatened air strikes by Israel or the United States more difficult.  

Meanwhile, the United States and allied nations in recent days began a naval exercise in the Persian Gulf to show their will to keep oil shipping lanes open if Iran retaliates for an Israeli air strike.

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by: Anonymous
September 19, 2012 8:51 PM
As soon as Nato or Israel takes out Irans nuclear locations. Every Iranian is going to overthrow the Iranian regime. All Iranians are waiting for this day. It will be the new Syria. But this time the Iranian people will succeed. The Iranian people HATE their government but have no choice.


by: LeRoy Padmore from: Jersey City,NJ
September 18, 2012 11:40 PM
The Iranian technology is a big mess,Iran want to be supper power so bad,she is nothing but a low down dirty shame dog.Israel will take care of you.Iran doesn't have the military capability that Israel has,if so she would have attack Israel.Tehran think military that Israel has,she will sit there and Tehran hit her and Israel will not do something about?if Tehran fire any rocket into Israel,I can assure the world there will be no Iran.Ahmadinijah knows that cause this is his 2nd term in power,why this man of all who doesn;t respect anybody,why he has not yet attack Israel?cause he knows Iran will pay a high price.Israel has the strongest and powerful military in the middle east.weather Iran likes it or not.the star of David will fly high.God Bless Israel,we are praying for you,you are not alone.Shalom Jerusalem.


by: Anonymous
September 18, 2012 6:21 AM
Iran has no idea what they will have in store. Now they are also providing assistance to a war criminal (assad). They are really getting deeper and deeper into the hole. I wish Isreal would stop talking about it and just go in once and for all and disable these nuclear reactors. I think Iran leaders need a hard slap to the face finally. They've proven time after time they are not willing to end their quest for nuclear weapons. Stop them now.

In Response

by: Godwin from: Nigeria
September 18, 2012 12:14 PM
After the Fukushima disaster, we have seen how vulnerable a nuclear plant can be. Now Iran's nuclear plant for enrgy purpose has no power cables to take power from it - only cables supplying it power - what an irony! But not to worry, whether by air strike or by natural disaster, the facility must come down. Only let it be during the rains and the rest shall be trading of blames and accusation whether Israel has told God to destroy the facility. But if Israel must strike, they should not let the rains stop but blast the entrance and leave the rest to go naturally.


by: Grampus from: Botswana
September 17, 2012 1:42 PM
So we now have proof that the mad mullahs are being truthful about their atomic energy program. Those electrical lines are designed to carry power generated at the facility to the city of Qoms.

Neither the stupid nor the overly-gagey, let alone somebody under attack would make their showpiece nukuler weapon-making facility dependent on an outside source of a electricity.

In Response

by: No from: Las Vegas
September 17, 2012 5:44 PM
No, these power lines were SUPPLYING power to the thousands of power hungry centrifuges for the enrichment of uranium. There is a 0% that this is a power generating facility. It only uses electricity. It is quite evident that there is no way that facility has any means to produce energy.

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