Iran on Monday blamed Israel for a sabotage attack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged the centrifuges it uses to enrich uranium there, warning that it would take revenge for the assault.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Natanz would be reconstructed with more advanced machines, something that could imperil ongoing talks in Vienna with world powers about saving Tehran's tattered atomic accord.
"The Zionists wanted to take revenge against the Iranian people for their success on the path of lifting sanctions," Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted Zairf as saying. "But we do not allow (it) and we will take revenge for this action against the Zionists."
Meanwhile, an Israeli cabinet minister involved in defense and security activity told Israel Hayom on Monday that leaks about actions in Iran attributed to Israel are "a mistake and hurt Israel's goals."
The minister, who is a member of the Diplomatic Security Cabinet, said the he did not know if the leakers about the Natanz incident were Israeli or foreign, but stressed that "in situations like these, the proper policy is ambiguity. That's how it was in the past and that's how it should be today. Leaks cause harm."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "The answer for Natanz is to take revenge against Israel," Khatibzadeh said. "Israel will receive its answer through its own path." He did not elaborate.
Khatibzadeh acknowledged that IR-1 centrifuges, the first-generation workhorse of Iran's uranium enrichment, had been damaged in the attack, but did not elaborate. State television has yet to show images from the facility.
Overnight Sunday, two intelligence officials informed the New York Times that Iran's Natanz nuclear reactor was damaged Sunday by an enormous explosion that completely destroyed the electrical system of its underground centrifuges.
The anonymous officials who spoke to the New York Times described a classified operation and said they believed it had struck a blow to Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities. Moreover, the officials said it might take as long as nine months to relaunch enrichment at Natanz.
Intelligence officials in Israel and the US said that Israel has played a role in the incident.
On Sunday, Iranian news outlets reported a large-scale fire at the underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz following the electrical blackout. The cause of the fire was unknown.
Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salai, said Sunday that the blackout was an act of "nuclear terrorism."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to make an oblique reference to Iran and its satellites at an event Sunday evening in honor of Israel's 73rd Independence Day (which begins Wednesday evening). Defense and security officials, including Shin Bet security agency head Nadav Argaman, Mossad director Yossi Cohen, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, and members of the General Staff Forum were all at the event.
"The battle against Iran and its satellites and against Iran getting nuclear weapons is an enormous mission," Netanyahu said, "I won't say that the situation today will be the situation that exists tomorrow."
Shahar Klaiman, Neta Bar and Lilach Shoval contributed to this report.
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