Iran Says Israeli 'Nuclear Terrorism' Could Have Led to Catastrophic 'Crime Against Humanity'



Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said at a Monday news conference accused Israel of being behind an attack on the Natanz nuclear facility and vowed revenge for the attack of sabotage that outside critics is clearly aimed a scuttling diplomatic effort between Tehran, the U.S., and others.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday that an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility over the weekend, which it accused Israel of carrying out, could have led to a catastrophic "crime against humanity" if the damage had been more extreme than what occurred.

Speaking during an online news conference with Iranian news outlets, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "Gladly there was no human or environmental damage, but it could have certainly" been worse.

Characterizing Sunday's incident as "appalling" and an act of "sabotage" by the Israeli government, Khatibzadeh said what "took place in Natanz was the work of the Zionist regime, given what it was repeatedly saying before and what is still being heard from various sources."

During his remarks, the spokesperson said older-generation centrifuges taht were damaged in the attack would be replaced by newer ones going forward.

Speaking at the same press conference, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the attack would not go unanswered even as he referenced ongoing diplomatic talks with European leaders and the United States to reforge the nuclear agreement abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Israeli government "want to take revenge because of our progress in the way to lift sanctions... they have publicly said that they will not allow this." Zarif said. "But we will take our revenge from the Zionists."

The attack on Natanz, reportedly carried out by Mossad, involved an explosion that reportedly caused a power blackout across the facility and damaged centrifuges used to enrich uranium.

Speaking during an online news conference with Iranian news outlets, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "Gladly there was no human or environmental damage, but it could have certainly" been worse.

Characterizing Sunday's incident as "appalling" and an act of "sabotage" by the Israeli government, Khatibzadeh said what "took place in Natanz was the work of the Zionist regime, given what it was repeatedly saying before and what is still being heard from various sources."

During his remarks, the spokesperson said older-generation centrifuges taht were damaged in the attack would be replaced by newer ones going forward.

Speaking at the same press conference, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the attack would not go unanswered even as he referenced ongoing diplomatic talks with European leaders and the United States to reforge the nuclear agreement abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Israeli government "want to take revenge because of our progress in the way to lift sanctions... they have publicly said that they will not allow this." Zarif said. "But we will take our revenge from the Zionists."

The attack on Natanz, reportedly carried out by Mossad, involved an explosion that reportedly caused a power blackout across the facility and damaged centrifuges used to enrich uranium.