Multiple explosions have been reported in Iran this week at petrochemical plants and a factory that reportedly manufactures explosions and drones.
“One person was killed and two others were injured in an explosion and fire at a petrochemical plant in Asaluyeh in southern Iran along the coast of the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, in the third such incident in the past four days,” The Jerusalem Post reported. “Earlier this week incidents were reported at petrochemical plants at the Kangan Petro Refining Co. (KPRC) and in Shahin Shahr.”
BREAKING: Large Explosion reported at a Petrochemical plant in S. #Iran this morning. At least one dead.
Third such mysterious incident in Iran in less than 5 days:pic.twitter.com/QS0n86Zyvp
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) May 26, 2021
#BREAKING
May 26—Bushehr, S #Iran
Large explosion this morning in an "oxygen transmission pipeline" at the Damavand Energy Petrochemical Co. located in the Special Pars Zone.One dead, two injured.https://t.co/lBwANmBkwXpic.twitter.com/U8KX0KTdOB
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) May 26, 2021
🔴Explosion dans une usine pétrochimique à Bushehr, en Iran 🇮🇷
— Gabriel Hébert-Røuillier (@Gab_H_R) May 26, 2021
A large fire was reported Monday at the Kangan Petro Refining Co. (KPRC), which is along the coast of the Persian Gulf. The Jerusalem Post reported separately that the plant “was inaugurated by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani just a few months ago” and was expected to generate “about $1 billion in revenue for Iran.”
🎥 آتشسوزی در انبار ضایعات پتروپالایش #کنگان
فرماندار کنگان: آتشسوزی گسترده در انبار ضایعات عایق شرکت پترو پالایش کنگان مهار شده است pic.twitter.com/a3cBB6LBkU
— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) May 24, 2021
Over the weekend, at least nine people were hurt during an explosion at the Sepahan Nargostar chemical and fireworks factory in the city of Shahin Shahr in Iran’s Isfahan Province.
The Jerusalem Post reported:
The factory is a producer of industrial and commercial explosive materials and is under the supervision of the National Security Council, according to IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency), the official government-controlled news agency. The company produces various types of fireworks and gunpowder, as well as nitrate, sodium, potassium, strontium, calcium, copper and barium, the report said.
Iranian media only reported about the incident late Sunday morning. But social-media users already were reporting about it overnight. They had seen and heard a large explosion that shook their windows and felt a shock wave, they said. It was unclear why Iranian media waited hours until reporting the incident.
The Guardian reported, however, that the “major explosion” over the weekend at Sepahan Nargostar Chemical Industries was in the same complex where the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) is located. The report said that HESA produces “a variety of aircraft and drones for Iranian and pro-Iranian forces.” The report linked the explosions at HESA to reports that Iran had provided drones to Palestinian Hamas terrorists inside Gaza.
“I described during our meeting that while we’re fighting on various fronts, the true backer of much of this aggression is Iran,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week. “Iran not only supports completely the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and gives them all the financing. They also give weapons to Hamas, as well as to Hezbollah. And they provide the scaffolding on which these organizations really work.”
“While we were engaged in these hostilities, a few days ago, Iran sent an armed drone to Israel from Iraq or from Syria, Iranian forces launched a drone, armed drone, which our forces intercepted on the border between Israel and Jordan,” Netanyahu continued. “And that I think says everything on the true patron of terror in the Middle East and in the world, Iran.”
Related: Palestinian Islamic Jihad Officials: Iran Is Giving Us The Rockets We Use To Attack Israel