WND EXCLUSIVE
Sabotage! Key Iranian nuclear facility hit?
Source: Explosion destroys much of underground installation
Published: 12 hours ago
by
Reza Kahlili
Email | Archive
http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/sabotage-key-iranian-nuclear-facility-hit/
Reza Kahlili, author of the award-winning book "A Time to Betray",
served in CIA Directorate of Operations, as a spy in the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard, counterterrorism expert; currently serves on the
Task Force on National and Homeland Security, an advisory board
authorized by Congress and the advisory board of the Foundation for
Democracy in Iran (FDI). He regularly appears in national and
international media as an expert on Iran and
An explosion deep within Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility
has destroyed much of the installation and trapped about 240 personnel
deep underground, according to a former intelligence officer of the
Islamic regime.
The previously secret nuclear site has become a center for Iran’s
nuclear activity because of the 2,700 centrifuges enriching uranium to
the 20-percent level. A further enrichment to weapons grade would take
only weeks, experts say.
The level of enrichment has been a major concern to Israeli
officials, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly has warned
about the 20-percent enriched stockpile.
The explosion occurred Monday, the day before Israeli elections weakened Netanyahu’s political control.
Iran, to avoid alarm, had converted part of the stockpile to fuel
plates for use in the Tehran Research Reactor. However, days after the
recent failed talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iranian
officials announced the enrichment process will not stop even “for a
moment.”
The regime’s uranium enrichment process takes place at two known
sites: the Natanz facility with more than 10,000 centrifuges and Fordow
with more than 2,700. The regime currently has enough low-grade (3.5
percent) uranium stockpiled for six nuclear bombs if further enriched.
Get the inside story in Reza Kahlili’s “A Time To Betray” and learn how the Islamic regime “bought the bomb” in “Atomic Iran.
However, more time is needed for conversion of the low-grade uranium
than what would be needed for a stockpile at 20 percent. It takes 225
kilograms of enriched uranium at the 20-percent level to further enrich
to the 90-percent level for one nuclear bomb.
According to a source in the security forces protecting Fordow, an
explosion on Monday at 11:30 a.m. Tehran time rocked the site, which is
buried deep under a mountain and immune not only to airstrikes but to
most bunker-buster bombs. The report of the blast came via Hamidreza
Zakeri, formerly with the Islamic regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and
National Security,
The blast shook facilities within a radius of three miles. Security
forces have enforced a no-traffic radius of 15 miles, and the Tehran-Qom
highway was shut down for several hours after the blast, the source
said. As of Wednesday afternoon, rescue workers had failed to reach the
trapped personnel.
The site, about 300 feet under a mountain, had two elevators which
now are out of commission. One elevator descended about 240 feet and was
used to reach centrifuge chambers. The other went to the bottom to
carry heavy equipment and transfer uranium hexafluoride. One emergency
staircase reaches the bottom of the site and another one was not
complete. The source said the emergency exit southwest of the site is
unreachable.
The regime believes the blast was sabotage and the explosives could
have reached the area disguised as equipment or in the uranium
hexafluoride stock transferred to the site, the source said. The
explosion occurred at the third centrifuge chambers, with the high-grade
enriched uranium reserves below them.
The information was passed on to U.S. officials but has not been
verified or denied by the regime or other sources within the regime.
Though the news of the explosion has not been independently verified, other sources previously have provided WND
with information on plans for covert operations against Iran’s nuclear
facilities as an option before going to war. The hope is to avoid a
larger-scale conflict. Israel, the U.S. and other allies already have
concluded the Islamic regime has crossed its red line in its quest for
nuclear weapons, other sources have said.
However, this information was not revealed for security reasons until
several days ago when sources said the regime’s intelligence agency,
through an alleged spy in the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, had
learned of the decision to conduct sabotage on Iran’s nuclear sites on a
much larger scale than before.
As reported, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called an urgent meeting
Tuesday with the intelligence minister, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy
Organization and other officials to discuss the threat, and now it’s
clear the meeting included the sabotage at Fordow.
Several Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated in recent
years. Last year, saboteurs struck the power supply to the Fordow
facility, temporarily disrupting production. And a computer worm called
Stuxnet, believed to have originated in the U.S., set Iran’s plans for
nuclear weapons back substantially.
The 5+1 (the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and
Germany) hope to resume talks with Iran over its illicit nuclear
program. The talks ended last year after regime officials refused to
negotiate.
Sources in the Islamic regime previously have revealed exclusively to WND the existence of:
Sabotage! Key Iranian nuclear facility hit?
Source: Explosion destroys much of underground installation
Published: 12 hours ago
by
Reza Kahlili
Email | Archive
http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/sabotage-key-iranian-nuclear-facility-hit/
Reza Kahlili, author of the award-winning book "A Time to Betray",
served in CIA Directorate of Operations, as a spy in the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard, counterterrorism expert; currently serves on the
Task Force on National and Homeland Security, an advisory board
authorized by Congress and the advisory board of the Foundation for
Democracy in Iran (FDI). He regularly appears in national and
international media as an expert on Iran and
An explosion deep within Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility
has destroyed much of the installation and trapped about 240 personnel
deep underground, according to a former intelligence officer of the
Islamic regime.
The previously secret nuclear site has become a center for Iran’s
nuclear activity because of the 2,700 centrifuges enriching uranium to
the 20-percent level. A further enrichment to weapons grade would take
only weeks, experts say.
The level of enrichment has been a major concern to Israeli
officials, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly has warned
about the 20-percent enriched stockpile.
The explosion occurred Monday, the day before Israeli elections weakened Netanyahu’s political control.
Iran, to avoid alarm, had converted part of the stockpile to fuel
plates for use in the Tehran Research Reactor. However, days after the
recent failed talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iranian
officials announced the enrichment process will not stop even “for a
moment.”
The regime’s uranium enrichment process takes place at two known
sites: the Natanz facility with more than 10,000 centrifuges and Fordow
with more than 2,700. The regime currently has enough low-grade (3.5
percent) uranium stockpiled for six nuclear bombs if further enriched.
Get the inside story in Reza Kahlili’s “A Time To Betray” and learn how the Islamic regime “bought the bomb” in “Atomic Iran.
However, more time is needed for conversion of the low-grade uranium
than what would be needed for a stockpile at 20 percent. It takes 225
kilograms of enriched uranium at the 20-percent level to further enrich
to the 90-percent level for one nuclear bomb.
According to a source in the security forces protecting Fordow, an
explosion on Monday at 11:30 a.m. Tehran time rocked the site, which is
buried deep under a mountain and immune not only to airstrikes but to
most bunker-buster bombs. The report of the blast came via Hamidreza
Zakeri, formerly with the Islamic regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and
National Security,
The blast shook facilities within a radius of three miles. Security
forces have enforced a no-traffic radius of 15 miles, and the Tehran-Qom
highway was shut down for several hours after the blast, the source
said. As of Wednesday afternoon, rescue workers had failed to reach the
trapped personnel.
The site, about 300 feet under a mountain, had two elevators which
now are out of commission. One elevator descended about 240 feet and was
used to reach centrifuge chambers. The other went to the bottom to
carry heavy equipment and transfer uranium hexafluoride. One emergency
staircase reaches the bottom of the site and another one was not
complete. The source said the emergency exit southwest of the site is
unreachable.
The regime believes the blast was sabotage and the explosives could
have reached the area disguised as equipment or in the uranium
hexafluoride stock transferred to the site, the source said. The
explosion occurred at the third centrifuge chambers, with the high-grade
enriched uranium reserves below them.
The information was passed on to U.S. officials but has not been
verified or denied by the regime or other sources within the regime.
Though the news of the explosion has not been independently verified, other sources previously have provided WND
with information on plans for covert operations against Iran’s nuclear
facilities as an option before going to war. The hope is to avoid a
larger-scale conflict. Israel, the U.S. and other allies already have
concluded the Islamic regime has crossed its red line in its quest for
nuclear weapons, other sources have said.
However, this information was not revealed for security reasons until
several days ago when sources said the regime’s intelligence agency,
through an alleged spy in the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, had
learned of the decision to conduct sabotage on Iran’s nuclear sites on a
much larger scale than before.
As reported, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called an urgent meeting
Tuesday with the intelligence minister, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy
Organization and other officials to discuss the threat, and now it’s
clear the meeting included the sabotage at Fordow.
Several Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated in recent
years. Last year, saboteurs struck the power supply to the Fordow
facility, temporarily disrupting production. And a computer worm called
Stuxnet, believed to have originated in the U.S., set Iran’s plans for
nuclear weapons back substantially.
The 5+1 (the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and
Germany) hope to resume talks with Iran over its illicit nuclear
program. The talks ended last year after regime officials refused to
negotiate.
Sources in the Islamic regime previously have revealed exclusively to WND the existence of:
- A secret nuclear site in Najaf Abad.
- A list of Iranian scientists working on a nuclear bomb.
- A secret uranium enrichment site in Khondab, where the Russians and North Korean scientists are helping with Iran’s nuclear bomb program.
- The secret bio-weapons site in Marzanabad,
where, with the help of Russia, Iran has mastered production of eight
microbial agents, arming its missiles with biological warheads. - Another nuclear site at Bonab, where, with the help of Russians, uranium enrichment is taking place using laser technology.
Today at 7:52 am by Rocky
» utube 3/28/24 MM&C Iraqi Dinar - IQD Update - SWIFT - Purchasing Power - Urban Renaissance - Releas
Today at 7:51 am by Rocky
» Al-Mandalawi: Iraq is witnessing competition between major companies...and the House of Representati
Today at 7:49 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic stresses the importance of the role of programmers in developing the w
Today at 7:46 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Industry and Minerals follows up on the technical and production performance of the
Today at 7:45 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Finance is following up on the field the progress of the newly implemented ASYCUDA s
Today at 7:44 am by Rocky
» Statistics: There are more than 15 million bank accounts in Iraq
Today at 7:42 am by Rocky
» Representative: One paragraph hinders the passage of a general amnesty within the House of Represent
Today at 7:37 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: “The draft federal budget law will be devoid of new job grades.”
Today at 7:36 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary action to resolve the fate of “food security contracts” in 15 governorates
Today at 7:35 am by Rocky
» 300 factories turned into "iron scrap" in Diyala
Today at 7:34 am by Rocky
» A deputy expects the dollar exchange rate to reach 140 Iraqi dinars
Today at 7:32 am by Rocky
» Al-Yasiri: The American administration is working hard to destroy the Iraqi economy
Today at 7:31 am by Rocky
» Infographic: The highest annual salaries of leaders of Arab countries
Today at 7:30 am by Rocky
» Communications announces that the electronic signature project has reached advanced stages
Today at 7:29 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Integrity presents a file related to Kuwaiti violations of Iraqi oil
Today at 7:27 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary move to include amendments to Parliament’s internal regulations on the agenda (documen
Today at 7:25 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi President urges the Minister of Finance to expedite the payment of salaries to the Kurdist
Today at 7:23 am by Rocky
» Central Bank of Iraq sales exceeded $251 million at today’s auction
Today at 7:21 am by Rocky
» The Foreign Minister questions the "Iraqi resistance" attacks against Israel: the other side did not
Today at 7:20 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Labor announces progress in the electronic payment system
Today at 7:17 am by Rocky
» Interior Ministry: For the first time, we controlled the smuggling of petroleum derivatives by 98 pe
Today at 7:16 am by Rocky
» International companies offer offers to invest in the Dhi Qar marshes.. What distinguishes them?
Today at 7:15 am by Rocky
» “Tough” comments on interest rates raise the dollar globally
Today at 7:14 am by Rocky
» Iraq is the fifth largest oil supplier to South Korea in a month
Today at 7:12 am by Rocky
» Recovering more than 100 billion as a result of more than 200,000 employees on social welfare
Today at 7:11 am by Rocky
» The Sudanese consultant announces the completion of Baghdad Metro track designs
Today at 7:08 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani stresses ending the problem of triple-shift schools
Today at 7:07 am by Rocky
» Iraq begins building two new tankers to transport petroleum products
Today at 7:06 am by Rocky
» Forming a council for “competition and preventing monopoly”
Today at 7:04 am by Rocky
» Features of an Iraqi-Turkish agreement regarding the status of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
Today at 7:02 am by Rocky
» {Al-Buzrajiya} between the hammer of fraud and the power of the owners
Today at 7:01 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Oil: The gas sector is witnessing great development
Today at 6:59 am by Rocky
» An agreement with Britain in the field of securities
Today at 6:58 am by Rocky
» Discussions between Baghdad and Ankara to open a new port
Today at 6:57 am by Rocky
» Trade: About 11 million citizens updated their new card information
Today at 6:56 am by Rocky
» Electronic payment is sustainable growth
Today at 6:55 am by Rocky
» Experts: Iraq qualifies to be an important tourist country
Today at 6:54 am by Rocky
» Amending the Health Professions Law “robs” scientists of the central appointment 3 years after it wa
Today at 5:20 am by Rocky
» Is the “blessings package” that Erbil paid to the citizens of Kurdistan related to the elections?
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Exceeded 5,000 projects.. Allocating 10 trillion dinars to support governorate reconstruction plans
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» “His need no longer exists.” Parliamentary Finance confirms the necessity of returning the retiremen
Today at 5:17 am by Rocky
» To communicate with the bases... 12 directives from Al-Sadr, including blocking numbers for non-gove
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» In an interview with "Baghdad Today"... an Iranian researcher reveals the importance of Haniyeh's vi
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» After it was 63 trillion in 2023... the 2024 budget deficit will rise to 80 trillion dinars
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Parliament reveals the date of the first evaluation of the governors and determines the party respon
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic informs Al-Araji and Al-Basri: Momentum must be mobilized to eliminate
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Can the Federal Court sue others? A legal clarification of its response mechanism to abuse
Today at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Despite promises to soon stop burning gas.. What is the secret behind Iraq renewing the Iranian gas
Today at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Advisor to Al-Sudani: The dollar is on the way to further decline, and 70% of Iraqi traders have ent
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» Iraq exported more than 99 million barrels of oil last February
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Barzani “gives good news” to Kurdistan employees: salaries, land, and loan exemptions
Today at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Alia Nassif: Nour Zuhair returned to the port of Umm Qasr to make deals.. An influential Shiite forc
Today at 5:02 am by Rocky
» The Prime Minister announces the movement of nearly 500 stalled projects
Today at 5:00 am by Rocky
» A government strategy to enhance investments.. Iraq is on the verge of a new era of economic develop
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Ranging between 20% and 50%.. The Kurdistan government decides to reduce service fees, customs dutie
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The reform approach in the security services is an integral part of reform in other secto
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Everyone in Iraq wants the Sudanese visit to Washington to be successful, even the factions!
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Sources and experts expect the agenda.. in his bag is the Baghdad dollar and the factions’ truce, bu
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» The decision to raise gasoline prices arouses the ire of drivers...a reminder of the large demonstra
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary services: 3 important hospitals in Baghdad will enter service at the end of the year
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Iraq signs a contract to supply Iranian gas for a period of five years
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Parliament adds a voting paragraph on amending the Penal Code to its agenda
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» His political advisor: We are not afraid of Sudanese entering the elections alone
Today at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary services explain the reasons for the rise in real estate prices in Baghdad
Today at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Attia, criticizing the government's decisions: "The citizen's feathers will be ruffled without servi
Today at 4:45 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Communications: Zain Iraq and Asiacell did not pay their debts
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» The Governor of Karbala announces the imminent establishment of the largest industrial city in the c
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» A government determination to end the issue of displaced persons in the middle of this year
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Iraq buys gas from Kurdistan to generate electricity
Today at 4:41 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary signatures to include an amendment to the internal regulations to decide the choice of
Today at 4:40 am by Rocky
» In Basra.. a demonstration against foreign workers in Iraqi companies (video)
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Al-Samarrai: Presidency of Parliament is an entitlement to the constituents, and calling it a “frame
Today at 4:36 am by Rocky
» Electronic food supplies in 6 governorates... covering 11 million Iraqis and “writing off” about 700
Today at 4:34 am by Rocky
» Corruption of the Ministry of Transport.. Representatives express their surprise at the minister’s s
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» The biggest supporter of the invasion of Iraq.. The death of former US Senator Joe Lieberman
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Iraq is ranked “late.” A list of the most and least safe Arab countries for women
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers exempts the Gulf Interconnection Authority from guarantee fees: it is a gov
Yesterday at 7:48 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi government raises the size of the 2024 budget, and Parliament is “surprised”
Yesterday at 7:46 am by Rocky
» Popular Movement: We have many economic options away from American hegemony
Yesterday at 7:42 am by Rocky
» The Oil Parliament stresses the need to transfer part of the revenues to the producing governorates
Yesterday at 7:41 am by Rocky
» It will cover 14 regions in eastern Iraq.. A deputy reveals the “border electricity” project
Yesterday at 7:40 am by Rocky
» Experts Warn Mass Migration Threatens US Food Security
Yesterday at 7:37 am by Bama Diva
» Al-Fateh: America occupies Iraq through agreements
Yesterday at 7:37 am by Rocky
» Anger in Iraq over a "sudden decision"... and a reminder of a "general strike" that paralyzed the co
Yesterday at 7:34 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee: Parliament is discussing today a decision that “disturbed” the Iraqis
Yesterday at 7:33 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Electricity: Our production will reach 27 thousand megawatts by May
Yesterday at 7:31 am by Rocky
» Diagnosing the “most important” problems in the oil file between Baghdad and Erbil.. What is the rel
Yesterday at 7:30 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi Fiqh Academy and the Sunni Endowment issue a fatwa to pay Zakat al-Fitr
Yesterday at 7:28 am by Rocky
» The National Bank of Iraq continues its digital transformation by launching its new banking system a
Yesterday at 7:26 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Investment and the Central Bank are discussing the housing initiative
Yesterday at 7:25 am by Rocky
» The Prime Minister announces the restart of 500 suspended projects
Yesterday at 7:23 am by Rocky
» Al-Barti assesses the region's employees: Your salaries are insured and will be paid after resettlem
Yesterday at 7:21 am by Rocky
» Iraqi-American discussions in anticipation of the Sudanese visit
Yesterday at 7:20 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Turkey hold meetings in Ankara to discuss technical issues related to the development road
Yesterday at 7:17 am by Rocky
» A government parliamentary agreement to support budget revenues and governorate allocations for inve
Yesterday at 7:16 am by Rocky
» Oil: The gas sector is witnessing great development
Yesterday at 7:15 am by Rocky
» A Kurdish-French agreement to develop trade and economic relations
Yesterday at 7:13 am by Rocky
» Exchange companies in Mosul demand that they be entered into the currency selling window
Yesterday at 7:12 am by Rocky