A string of industrial incidents afecting Iranian nuclear, petrochemical and port facilities is testing Tehran’s relative restraint in recent months as the country reels under the pressure of US sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic. A facility producing advanced centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment centre has sufered “extensive and likely irreparable damage” as a result of an explosion on 2 July, the US-based Institute for Science and International Security says, based on its analysis of satellite imagery. The institute’s experts say an explosion on a natural gas line to the centre is a possible explanation, resulting from an accident, placement of an explosive device or a cyber attack. Iran concedes the explosion is likely to slow enrichment work, but insists it will restore the facility.
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