BICOM

According to reports, an explosion struck the Parchin military base in Iran yesterday, where Iran is suspected of carrying out military nuclear research; two people were killed. The Iranian Government denied that there was an explosion and claimed that the two men died in an ‘ordinary fire’ at the site. However, the blast was reportedly heard in nearby Tehran. According to the New York Times, “Witnesses in the east of Tehran said that windows had been shattered in the vicinity of the military complex and that all trees in a hundred-yard radius of two villages, Changi and Hammamak, had been burned.”

Parchin is a military compound near Tehran and is suspected to be one of the main sites for Iran’s military nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been allowed to inspect Parchin since January 2005.

An IAEA report in 2011 alleged that Iran carried out activities “relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device” linked to Parchin. In particular, Parchin was believed to be where Iran developed nuclear detonators. The IAEA has repeatedly reported on Iranian attempts to sanitise the site, in apparent attempts to hide their past activities.

One report suggests that yesterday’s explosion was as a result of a botched nuclear detonator test. If true, this would have enormous implications for the Iran deal.

The explosion coincides with a visit from IAEA inspectors to Tehran. Iran has so far failed to answer questions from the IAEA about possible nuclear weapons development, the IAEA revealed last month.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the current temporary deal between Iran and the P5+1 expires on 24 November 2014.

Explosions and other damage to the Iranian nuclear programme have been blamed in the past on sabotage by Western countries including the USA, UK and Israel.