CENTRAL Iran’s region and its capital of the same name are home to a number of important military facilities, including nuclear facilities, a major air base and factories linked to Iran’s drone program and other military equipment.
Initial reports from Iran’s Fars news agency said three explosions were heard near Qahjavarestan, near Isfahan airport and the Shekari military airbase, while Iran’s state agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said “several drones were successfully shot down.”
Iranian state TV broadcast what it said was live footage of the city of Isfahan early this morning after what US officials said was an Israeli airstrike. The region is home to the famous Natanz uranium enrichment facility, and Iran’s uranium conversion facility is located in the southeastern Zerdenjan area of Isfahan.
“We heard shots, it was anti-aircraft defense”
After Iranian officials said their nuclear facilities were “safe,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported from near the uranium conversion facility. Footage from two different positions of the anti-aircraft guns was shown, and the details of the video corresponded with known features of the location of Iran’s uranium conversion facility in Isfahan.
“At 4:45 we heard shots. Nothing was happening,” said the journalist. “That was anti-aircraft defense, these guys you’re looking at.”
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What kind of nuclear facility is that in Isfahan?
The Isfahan facility, whose construction began in 1999, operates three small research reactors supplied by China, as well as fuel production and other activities for Iran’s civilian nuclear program. The site appears to have been hit by an explosion in November 2011.
Isfahan is also home to a large Iranian airbase that houses Iran’s aging fleet of US-made F-14 Tomcats – purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Initial speculation suggested that a radar facility at the base may have been the target of the attack.
Equally important are the Iranian weapons production facilities in and around the city. Early last year, an advanced weapons production facility in the city was attacked. Three drones were involved in that attack, for which responsibility is attributed to Israel.
As with the current attack, Iranian officials have given conflicting statements.
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