Iran state TV airs footage of what it claims are normal operations at Natanz site

Iranian state TV airs footage from what it says are regular operations at the Natanz nuclear facility, following an April 11 explosion that is said to have caused considerable damage to the plant, including its various kinds of uranium-enriching centrifuges.

The TV spot airs a short interview with an unnamed worker at the site who says that the staff is working around the clock to resume uranium enrichment.

“What you hear is the noise of the machines working normally. We are fixing all the centrifuges that have been affected, and with the help of our dedicated, excellent staff, we are working to fix all the damaged parts,” says the worker, according to a translation by Israel’s Channel 12 which also aired the clip.

State media report interviewed staff member in Natanz seeking to reassure that staff are working around the clock to resume enrichment. Also reports that Intelligence Ministry agents are pursuing 43-year old Reza Karimi, who has fled the country, for the sabotage. pic.twitter.com/3jbKZ1fhtC

— Resistance Axis Monitor (@MonitorAxis) April 17, 2021

Channel 13 says it is unclear if the footage is from today.

Israeli and American media have reported that a 150-kilogram bomb early Sunday morning took out Natanz’s main and backup power supplies and caused damage setting back the enrichment process by months.

A senior Iranian official said Tuesday that the blast destroyed or damaged thousands of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Alireza Zakani, the hard-line head of the Iranian parliament’s research center, referred to “several thousand centrifuges damaged and destroyed” in a state TV interview. However, no other official has offered that figure and no images of the aftermath have been released.

Iran said Friday it was enriching uranium to 60% — a short step from weapons-grade — at Natanz.