Iran’s underground Natanz nuclear facility lost power on Sunday, just hours after starting up new advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster. Power at Natanz was cut across the whole facility, which comprises above-ground workshops and underground enrichment halls, civilian nuclear programme spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told Iranian state television. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Iran’s programme, said it was “aware of the media reports”, but declined to comment. Iran also blamed Israel for the killing of a scientist who began the country’s military nuclear programme decades earlier. Since then-President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, Tehran has abandoned all the limits of its uranium stockpile.

Source: Irish Independent April 11, 2021 11:03 UTC