Iran's nuclear agency confirms strikes on atomic sites

Dubai, Jun 22 (AP) Iran's nuclear agency on Sunday confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz atomic sites, but is insisting its work will not be stopped.
     The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran issued the statement after President Donald Trump announced the American attack on the facilities.
     “The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran assures the great Iranian nation that despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies, with the efforts of thousands of its revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, it will not allow the development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped,” it said in its statement.
     Earlier, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency acknowledged an attack on the country's Fordo nuclear site.
     Attacks also targeted Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites, it said.
     IRNA quoted Akbar Salehi, Isfahan's deputy governor in charge of security affairs, saying there had been attacks around the sites. He did not elaborate.
     Quoting a statement from Iran's Qom province, IRNA said: “A few hours ago, when Qom air defences were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordo nuclear site was attacked by enemies.”
     The IRNA report did not elaborate.
     Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a provincial official in Qom that air defence did recently fire in an attack believed to target the area around the Fordo facility, but offered no other information.
     The semiofficial Fars news agency, also close to the Guard, quoted another official saying air defences opened fire near Isfahan and explosions had been heard.
     Fars also quoted the same official in Qom province, saying air defences fired around Fordo. (AP) SCY
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)