Escaping Before Explosion, The Attacker Of Iran's Natanz Nuclear Facility Was Not Israel

Iran's nuclear facility at Natanz. (WIkimedia Commons/Hamed Saber)

JAKARTA - Iranian authorities have announced a suspect in the attack on the Natanz nuclear facility on April 11. This announcement was made by Iranian State television.

Instead of Israel as accused, the suspect named Reza Karimi is in fact an Iranian passport holder born in Kashan City, Isfahan Province, as reported by The National News, Monday, April 19.

Reza Karimi, a suspect in the attack that damaged a uranium enrichment centrifuge in Natanz, is said to have fled hours before the attack.

The extent of the damage from the April 11 sabotage is unclear, but it comes as Iran tries to negotiate with world powers to allow the United States to re-enter the 2015 nuclear deal that Tehran signed with those countries.

The television report also broadcast what appeared to be an Interpol red notice requesting his arrest. The notification was not immediately accessible on Interpol's public database. Meanwhile, Interpol, based in Lyon, France, said it could not confirm a red notice had been issued to Karimi.

The Iranian government said the report immediately took the necessary steps to repatriate Karimi through legal channels they could take.

Although the report did not specify how Karimi was able to gain access to one of the safest facilities in Iran. However, it was the first time that authorities acknowledged that an explosion had hit the Natanz facility.

"There was a limited explosion from a small part of the power supply line to the centrifugal hall. The explosion occurred due to an explosive function and there was no cyberattack," the report said.

Earlier, Iranian authorities accused arch-enemy Israel of sabotage at its Natanz nuclear facility. Iran vowed to take revenge for this attack.

Reporting on Iran's Nournews, Reuters said the person who caused the blackout in one of the production rooms at the underground uranium enrichment plant had been identified.

Iranian authorities described the attack on their Natanz nuclear site as an act of "nuclear terrorism". They say Tehran has the right to take action against the perpetrators.

On Monday 12 April, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif explicitly blamed Israel.

"The Zionists want revenge for our progress in lifting sanctions. We will not fall into their trap. We will not let this act of sabotage affect nuclear talks," Zarif said, as quoted by state television.

"But we will take revenge against the Zionists," he stressed.