2021 Natanz incident refers to a suspected attack on the Natanz nuclear site in Iran.[1] The Natanz nuclear facility is placed in the wilderness in the central province of Isfahan, Iran. This site is scouted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog.[2]
Iran's nuclear program was long suspected of aiming to create a nuclear weapon, with Multiple countries, including the US and Israel, have used using methods to try and prevent this.
Iran initially denied they were creating a nuclear weapon, and insisted their nuclear technology was only being used for peaceful purposes such as power generation. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons. This fatwa is viewed with suspicion in the West, with some experts questioning its existence, impact or applicability.[3]
A cyber attack known as Operation Olympic Games was carried out by the US and Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities, specifically Natanz. This operation used the Stuxnet computer virus, which caused the destruction of hundreds of centrifuges and other damage. The virus was first discovered in 2010, but it is thought to have been in development since at least 2005.[4][5]
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, repealed by the US in 2018, granted sanctions relief in exchange for destruction of technology and material that could aid nuclear weapons development.[6] [7][8] After the JCPOA was repealed by the US, Iran started openly ignoring its provisions, enriching uranium beyond the specified limits.[9] By 2022, Iran was "speaking openly on nuclear bomb prospects".[10]
Natanz nuclear facility is part of Iran's nuclear program. It is located near a major highway, and is generally recognized as Iran's central facility for uranium enrichment.[11] This site was made underground, some 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran, to resist enemy airstrikes.[12]
On 10 April 2021, Iran unveiled feeding gas to several all-Iranian centrifuges, including 164 IR6 machines, 30 IR5 centrifuges, 30 IR6s centrifuges, and mechanical tests on the advanced IR9 machine on the National Nuclear Technology Day occasion.[13] On 11 April 2021, early on Sunday, the day after the Iran unveiling, a Blackout hit the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran[14] which caused damage to the electrical distribution grid.[1] The blackout seemed to be caused by a planned blast. The Natanz incident happened almost a week after Iran and Biden tried to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which President Trump had unilaterally withdrawn.[2]
There were different reports of the attack, including a cyber-attack and an explosion.[15] Iran, citing security issues, refused to reveal additional information. Israel publicly rejected to approve or deny any responsibility for the incident.[1] The US and Israel intelligence officials claimed that Israel was behind a cyber-attack at the time of this incident.[16][8]
Ali Akbar Salehi, the AEOI head claimed that the incident was an act of "sabotage" and "nuclear terrorism".[17]
Several Israeli media claimed that the operation was carried out by the Israeli Mossad spy service.[18][19] Israel had expressed dissatisfaction over Biden's revival of the nuclear deal, which the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018.[20] Iran does not recognize the existence of Israel and often refers to it as the "Zionist state."[21]
On the morning of the accident, Lloyd Austin, the American defense secretary, met with Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz and viewed Israeli air and missile defense systems and its F-35 combat aircraft. It was not clear whether they had discussed the Natanz attack.[22]
Kamalvandi, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman, said that the accident caused no casualties nor pollution.[1]
Several Israeli media say that the blackout has allotted a hard blow to Iran's uranium enrichment.
Alireza Zakani said that the damage was great and that several thousand centrifuges were damaged, on the Ofoq TV channel.[23]
According to The New York Times, two intelligence officials claimed: it had been made by the accident that destroyed the internal power system responsible for feeding underground uranium enrichment centrifuges. Israel has taken action ranging against Iran, from cyberattacks to the killings of several Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years.[8]
On November 17, 2021, the IAEA released their quarterly safeguards report regarding verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran, in light of United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 (2015). The report concludes that the number of enriching IR-1 cascades and IR-2m cascades at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) appear to have almost fully recovered from a sabotage incident in April. Iran installed 31 cascades of IR-1 centrifuges, six cascades of IR-2m centrifuges, and two cascades of IR-4 centrifuges at the FEP. Of those, as of November 13, 28 IR-1 cascades, six IR-2m cascades, and two IR-4 cascades “were being fed” with uranium.[24]
Iran has blamed Israel for the Natanz accident and the Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassination in November 2020.[18]
Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran has said that in response to the attack, Iran will increase enriching uranium by up to 60% and will replace the old centrifuges with more advanced ones.[25]
Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, called the incident a terrorist act and said that the Natanz accident showed the opponents of the country's industrial and political progress have failed in preventing significant development of the nuclear industry.[16] He announced that Iran will build a new hall "in the heart of the mountain" near Natanz.[26]
Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of Iran, in a letter to Antonio Guterres, described the Natanz sabotage as "a grave war crime" due to the high risk of potential release of radioactive material, and said that any power that is aware of the crime, must be held accountable as an accomplice to this war crime.[17] He also condemned two Israeli attacks on Natanz in one year.[27]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that "the struggle against Iran and its proxies and the Iranian armament efforts is a huge mission".[14] Already, he warned about the return of the U.S to JCPOA and said: that the new deal will not be binding on Israel.[28]
After this sabotage at Natanz, that has been attributed to Israel, the European Union described these actions as efforts to endanger talks to return the US to JCPOA and send out a warning.[29]
Aviv Kochavi, the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces said: "operations in the Middle East are not hidden from the eyes of the enemy".[16]
According to Reuters, diplomats said that due to security concerns following the Israeli attack on the Natanz site in April, Iran has been restricting access by U.N. nuclear inspectors to its main uranium enrichment site in Natanz.[30]
