Earthquake hits Iran near main nuclear facility – video
Photo: ERA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
A 5.0 magnitude quake hit Iran on March 21 close to the city of Isfahan, situated 26 km from the Natanz nuclear facility, which serves as the country’s primary site for uranium enrichment, as reported by Newsweek, referencing information from the Iranian Seismological Center.
The seismological center indicated that a 5.0 magnitude earthquake occurred near Isfahan in central Iran. A subsequent aftershock registering 4.5 on the scale was detected a few hours later, around 1 p.m.
Reza Mousavi, the head of the crisis management department in Isfahan province, stated that emergency teams are currently evaluating the damage in the impacted regions.
🚨⚡️The moment when a 5 magnitude earthquake struck the Natanz region of Iran. #earthquake #Iran https://t.co/8jdE7ozSfi pic.twitter.com/ta9UHH3t65
— War Analysis (@iiamguri9) March 21, 2025
Natanz, which is primarily underground, has been subjected to numerous sabotage attempts, according to Newsweek. In July 2020, a significant explosion at a centrifuge assembly facility resulted in considerable damage, which Iranian authorities later attributed to sabotage. Less than a year later, in April 2021, another incident occurred, with Iran directly accusing Israel.
- On February 9, 2025, US President Trump expressed his intention to finalize a non-nuclear status agreement with Iran.
- On March 4, Russia consented to assist the US presidential administration in communicating with Iran, including discussions on its nuclear program and support for regional anti-American factions.
- On March 9, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Tehran would not engage in negotiations under US coercion. The White House urged Tehran to “prioritize the interests of the people over terrorism.”
- On March 14, during trilateral discussions in Beijing, China, Iran, and Russia advocated for the lifting of sanctions against Tehran in an effort to “resume dialogue” regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
