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Natanz

Coordinates: 33°30′48″N 51°54′59″E / 33.51333°N 51.91639°E / 33.51333; 51.91639
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For the administrative subdivision, see Natanz County.
Natanz
نطنز
City
Shrine Complex of Abd al Samad, built in 1304
Shrine Complex of Abd al Samad, built in 1304
Natanz is located in Iran
Natanz
Natanz
Coordinates: 33°30′48″N 51°54′59″E / 33.51333°N 51.91639°E / 33.51333; 51.91639
Country Iran
ProvinceIsfahan
CountyNatanz
BakhshCentral
Population
 (2016 Census)
 • Total14,122[1]
Time zoneUTC+3:30 (IRST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+4:30 (IRDT)

Natanz (Persian: نطنز, also romanized as Naţanz)[2] is a city and capital of Natanz County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 12,060, in 3,411 families.[3] It is located 70 kilometres (43 mi) south-east of Kashan.

Its bracing climate and locally produced fruit[citation needed] are well known in Iran.[citation needed] Its pear fruits are well known.[4] The Karkas mountain chain (Kuh-e Karkas) (meaning mountain of vultures), at an elevation of 3,899 meters, rises above the town.[5]

Various small shrines dot the area,[citation needed] and it is known as the shrine of Abd as-Samad.[4] The elements in the present complex date from 1304 with subsequent additions and restorations, such as the Khaneqah and Muqarnas vault. The tomb honors the Sufi Sheikh Abd al-Samad, and was built by the Sheikh's disciple, the Ilkhanid vizier Zain al-Din Mastari.

Nuclear facility

Further information: Nuclear facilities in Iran § Natanz
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Natanz nuclear facility is part of Iran’s nuclear program. It is located some 33 km NNW from the town (33°43′N 51°43′E / 33.717°N 51.717°E / 33.717; 51.717) near a major highway, is generally recognized as Iran's central facility for uranium enrichment with over 19,000 gas centrifuges currently operational and nearly half of them being fed with uranium hexafluoride.[6]

Enrichment of uranium at the plant was halted in July 2004 during negotiations with European countries. In 2006, Iran announced that it would resume enrichment. In September 2007, the Iranian government announced that they had installed 3,000 centrifuges at Natanz. In 2010, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was told by the Iranian government that future enrichment programmes would take place at Natanz, and they would start in March 2011.[7]

In January 2013, Fereydoun Abbasi from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said: "five percent uranium enrichment is continuing at Natanz, and we will continue 20 percent enrichment at Fordo and Natanz to meet our needs".[8]

Daily inspection by the IAEA of the Natanz site was agreed as part of the nuclear enrichment reduction agreement made with the P5+1 countries in November 2013.[9]

Between 2007–2010 Natanz nuclear power plant was hit by a sophisticated cyber attack that has been alleged to have been carried out in an operation called Olympic Games by a coalition of German, French, British, American, Dutch and Israeli intelligence organizations.[10] The attack used a Stuxnet worm which hampered the operation of plant's centrifuges and caused damage to them over time.[11] The alleged goal of the cyber attack was not to destroy the nuclear program of Iran completely but to stall it enough for sanctions and diplomacy to take effect.[10] This alleged goal was achieved, as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear treaty with Iran was reached in July 2015.[10]

On 2 July 2020, a fire and explosion hit around 2 a.m. local time a centrifuge production plant at a nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz.[12][13] A group known as the "Cheetahs of the Homeland" claimed responsibility for the attack.[14] Some Iranian officials suggested that the incident may have been caused by cyber sabotage.[15]

On 28 October 2020, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released satellite images acknowledging that Iran had begun the construction of an underground plant near its nuclear facility at Natanz.[16] In March 2021, Iran restarted enriching uranium at the Natanz facility with a third set of advanced nuclear centrifuges in a series of violations of the 2015 nuclear accord.[17] On 10 April, Iran began injecting uranium hexaflouride gas into advanced IR-6 and IR- 5 centrifuges at Natanz, but on the next day, an accident occurred in the electricity distribution network.[18] On 11 April, IRNA reported that the incident was due to a power failure and that there were no injuries nor any escape of radioactive material.[19] Further details eventually emerged that it was actually Israel that orchestrated the attack.[20] On 17 April, Iranian state television named 43-year-old Reza Karimi from Kashan as a suspect for the blackout, stating that he had fled the country before the sabotage happened.[21][22]

  • Anti-aircraft guns guarding Natanz nuclear facility
    Anti-aircraft guns guarding Natanz nuclear facility
  • Natanz Stone Fortress
    Natanz Stone Fortress
  • Natanz mosque next to the old Chenar
    Natanz mosque next to the old Chenar
  • Ancient tree of Natanz
    Ancient tree of Natanz
  • Portal of Abd al-Samad complex
    Portal of Abd al-Samad complex

See also

References

  1. ^ "Statistical Center of Iran". amar.org.
  2. ^ Natanz can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3076691" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
  3. ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)" (Excel). Statistical Center of Iran. Archived from the original on 2011-09-20.
  4. ^ a b Bamford, James. "The Secret War." Wired. June 12, 2013. "2. Retrieved on June 14, 2013.
  5. ^ The place where Darius III was murdered by his relative, the satrap Bessus, is believed by historians to lie in the region of Ahevanu in Semnan province, much more to the east and north than Natanz.
  6. ^ "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council Resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran, September 15, 2008" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  7. ^ "Iran's key nuclear sites". BBC News. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Iran will continue 20% enrichment at Fordo, Natanz: official". Tehran Times. 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Iran nuclear deal: Key points". BBC News. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. ^ a b c Zetter, Kim; Modderkolk, Huib (2 September 2019). "Revealed: How a secret Dutch mole aided the U.S.-Israeli Stuxnet cyberattack on Iran". Yahoo News. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  11. ^ Sanger, David E. (2 June 2012). "Mutually Assured Cyberdestruction?". The New York Times Company.
  12. ^ "Analysts: Fire at Iran nuclear site hit centrifuge facility". Associated Press. 2 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Mysterious Explosion and Fire Damage Iranian Nuclear Enrichment Facility". The New York Times. 2 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Report: Israeli cyberattack caused Iran nuclear site fire, F35s hit missile base". The Times of Israel. 3 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Iran threatens retaliation after what it calls possible cyber attack on nuclear site". Reuters. 3 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Satellite photos show activity at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility". The Independent. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  17. ^ Murphy, Francois (2021-03-08). "Iran enriching with new set of advanced machines at Natanz: IAEA". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  18. ^ 'Accident' at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility after centrifuge activation
  19. ^ "Electrical Problem Strikes Iran's Natanz Nuclear Facility | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
  20. ^ "Reports: Mossad Behind Iran Attack". Hamodia. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Iran state TV identifies man it says was behind blast at Natanz nuclear site". Reuters. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Iran Names Suspect in Natanz Attack, Says He Fled Country". U.S. News & World Report. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
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