Some Western and Iranian officials stated the cause of explosions to beIsraelicyber attacks and covert US and Israeli strikes,[9][10] as part of the broaderIran–Israel proxy conflict. The government vowed to retaliate if sabotage was confirmed in its Natanz nuclear facility.[11]
At noon on 25 June 2020, an explosion hit in the military complex ofParchin, 30 kilometers southeast of the capitalTehran. Within the same hour a power outage affected half of the southern city ofShiraz; housing major military facilities. Officials declared the explosion a gas storage accident and said that an explosion had hit the power station in Shiraz, causing the blackout.[12][8] A Western analyst stated that the explosion in Parchin had occurred in a missile storage facility, with hidden nuclear detonation technology work.[2][13][3][4]
A Western analyst claimed the explosion in Parchin was caused by an Israeli cyberattack, while a senior Iranian commander said he could not comment whether the explosion was a cyberattack until there was a conclusion on the issue.[14][15] Citing an unnamed senior source, theKuwaiti newspaperAl-Jarida reported that the facility was destroyed in an airstrike by IsraeliF-35 stealth fighter jets.[16]
On 30 June 2020, American and Israeli officials speaking toThe New York Times said they "had nothing to do with" the explosion in Parchin.[17]
On 30 June 2020, an explosion occurred in the Sina At'har health center in the capital Tehran, killing 19 people including 15 women and 4 men. According to the deputy mayor of Tehran the explosion was caused by a leak from medical gas tanks in the building.[18][19]
On 2 July 2020, an explosion hit a centrifuge assembly facility near the city ofNatanz.[1] Three quarters of the above-ground parts of the facility where advancedcentrifuges were being assembled were damaged.[20] Iran admitted serious damage to its facility while Western analysts said the explosion had set back theIranian nuclear program one to two years.[1][21]
The same day, aUS-based source reported that a group calling itself the "Homeland Panthers" (Persian:یوزپلنگان وطنyuzpalangan vatan) claimed responsibility for the explosion at the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.[22]The New York Times claimed that a source which it identified as a "Middle Eastern intelligence official with knowledge of the episode" told the newspaper that Israel was responsible for the attack, and that a powerful bomb had been used. In addition, it cited anIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member who was briefed on the topic and had spoken to the newspaper anonymously as claiming that an explosive device was used.[23]The New York Times later reported that officials with knowledge stated the blast was most likely the result of a bomb, possibly at a strategic gas line, but a cyberattack was not out of the question.[1][24] The Kuwaiti newspaperAl-Jarida reported that Israel had caused the explosion with a cyberattack.[16]
On 4 July 2020, an explosion hit the Shahid Medhaj Zargan power plant in the city ofAhvaz. Meanwhile 70 people were injured following achlorine gas leak at Karun petrochemical center in the city ofMahshahr, near Ahvaz.[25][26]
On 7 July 2020, 2 people were killed and 3 others were injured following an explosion inside an oxygen factory in the town ofBaqershahr, south of the capital Tehran.IRIB said "human error" was the cause of the blast.[27]
According to Western analysts the factory was near the warehouse where an archive of information on Iran's nuclear program was stolen in a raid by Israeli intelligence agents in 2018. It has been claimed that the factory belongs to an Iranian automotive manufacturer that closely cooperates with the Iranian Ministry of Defense as well as theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[28]
On 9 July 2020, an explosion was reported in western Tehran. Officials denied that an explosion took place but admitted that power had been cut off in the area.[29]
According to western analysts the blast hit a missile facility/warehouse belonging to Revolutionary Guards. Analysts speaking toThe New York Times said that the blast had hit an area with underground facilities, associated with chemical weapons research and an unidentified military production site. An intelligence official toldThe New York Times that Israel was possibly behind the explosion.[30][31]
On 11 July 2020, a gas explosion shook a residential building in Tehran, injuring one person.[32]
On 12 July 2020, a fire followed by an explosion hit the Tondgooyan petrochemical plant in the southwest. A spokesperson for the petrochemical company said the fire and explosion occurred due to "technical problems", and that "hot weather" was also to blame.[33]
On 13 July 2020, an explosion hit an industrial complex near the northeastern city ofMashhad.Mehr News Agency said the explosion occurred when a gas condensate storage tank exploded, and that the police were investigating the cause.[34]
According to one report fromBusiness Insider, citing an unnamed former Israeli official and aEuropean Union intelligence official, Israel is behind some of the explosions, with the European source "fearing" that the goal of the Israeli government to provoke a military confrontation with Iran whileU.S. PresidentDonald Trump remains in office.[37] According to the EU official, "There would be a lot less appetite for adventures and secret missions to blow up nuclear facilities under a Biden administration."[37]
In October 2020,Rafael Grossi, Director General ofInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed toAssociated Press that Iran has started building an underground centrifuge assembly plant after the explosions, and added that Iran also continues to stockpile greater amounts of low-enriched uranium, but does not appear to possess enough to produce a weapon.[38]
