A fire has erupted at Iran’s Karaj nuclear power plant, raising fears of another possible attack on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This incident follows close on the heels of a violent episode in Turkey that triggered Turkish airstrikes on suspected Kurdish sites in Syria and Iraq. The Karaj facility, a critical part of Iran’s nuclear program, had previously been attacked in 2022, an incident that Iranian authorities had attributed to external threats.
Initial reports, brought to light by an Iranian opposition group and circulated by Israeli media, reveal footage showing smoke billowing from the Karaj nuclear plant. However, the cause of the fire remains undetermined, and Iranian officials have yet to confirm details of any casualties. Israel has not claimed responsibility, though the incident has heightened concerns in light of the facility’s strategic significance and previous security breaches.
Videos are appearing on social media of a fire which falsely claims to be at a nuclear plant in the #Karaj suburb of #Tehran.
Instead, the fire appears to be at a diesel storage area adjacent to the gas/diesel-powered Montazer Ghaem Combined Cycle Power Plant at #Fardis, Karaj,… pic.twitter.com/fBb3t3GI9r
— OSINT (Uri Kikaski) 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@UKikaski) October 24, 2024
This fire coincides with increased violence in Turkey, where an attack on Turkey’s aviation company, TUSAS, resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to 14 others. Turkish forces quickly responded, neutralizing the assailants before initiating a round of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militant positions across Syria and Iraq. Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation spearheaded the operations, employing drones to hit facilities associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other allied groups.
This is not the first time the Karaj nuclear facility has come under threat. A 2022 incident, widely blamed on Israel, prompted Iranian authorities to move sensitive equipment, including advanced centrifuges, to a secure location. As a key asset in Iran’s controversial nuclear development agenda, the Karaj site remains a focal point of international attention and a flashpoint in escalating regional tensions. The latest incident underscores the precarious balance of power in the region as Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to face scrutiny and opposition.
