Iranian VP: Israel planted explosives in Iran’s nuclear equipment

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Iran’s Vice President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, accused Israel of attempting an apparent sabotage operation by planting explosives in centrifuge machines.

According to Iranian media outlets, Zarif said, “Our colleagues purchased a centrifuge platform for the Atomic Energy Organization, only to discover explosives embedded within it, and neutralize them.”

The exact timing of the alleged incident remains unclear.

He further explained that sanctions have forced Iran and its allies to rely on intermediaries, creating vulnerabilities allegedly exploited by Israel.

“Instead of procuring equipment directly from manufacturers, sanctions compel us to depend on multiple intermediaries,” Zarif stated.

“If the Zionist regime [Israel] infiltrates one of these intermediaries, they can do anything they want, which is exactly what happened,” he added.

Zarif also linked the coordinated explosions in Hezbollah's communication systems in September 2024 to Israel’s persistent infiltration of suppliers, noting that the case of the pager devices in Lebanon was a meticulously planned operation spanning many years by Israel.

On September 17, 2024, thousands of pager devices detonated simultaneously across multiple locations, killing and injuring thousands, including the Iranian ambassador to Beirut. The next day, “ICOM V82” walkie-talkie devices exploded in several areas, adding to the casualties.

Lebanese officials compared the devastation to the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, describing it as an even greater catastrophe, further highlighting the magnitude of destruction and loss.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) banned the use of electronic communication devices, except for mobile phones, aboard commercial flights, conducting inspections to prevent similar incidents.

Notably, Iran previously denounced the April 2021 power outage at its Natanz uranium enrichment facility, allegedly caused by an explosion, as an act of “nuclear terrorism.”

While Tehran has not fully explained the incident, Israel neither claimed responsibility nor denied involvement in similar attacks, including cyberattacks and assassinations targeting Iran's nuclear program.