Huge explosion reported at Iran nuclear site

"Yediot Ahronot": Iranian defectors claim Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility has been almost totally destroyed.

Hebrew daily "Yediot Ahronot" reports that former Iranian intelligence officials who defected to the West claim that Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility has been almost totally destroyed, and that hundreds of employees are trapped. If the reports are true, this is probably the most significant setback to Iran's nuclear program to date.

"Yediot Ahronot" cites US conservative website "WND" as reporting on Friday that former Iranian Republican Guard commander Reza Halili, recruited by the CIA and who defected to the US, claimed that Iranian sources reported a huge explosion last Monday at Fordo's centrifuges room. They claim that the explosion destroyed a significant portion of the facility and that 240 workers were trapped underground. "WND" adds the report has not been corroborated by any Western source.

According to "Yediot Ahronot", Halili says that the blast shook buildings within a six-kilometer radius, and that roads within a 25-kilometer radius were closed by security forces for hours, including the Tehran-Qom highway.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 27, 2013

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013

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