The Islamic Republic experienced a rather large explosion outside the capital city of Tehran on Wednesday; Officials claim that the source of the blast was nothing more than a test being conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Spokesperson: Such exercises are not uncommon.
On Wednesday, a loud explosion rocked the city of Karaj, Iran, in close proximity to important sites, one of which was the TESA centrifuge-production facility. This facility was hit via sabotage in June of 2021, causing significant damage to Tehran’s nuclear program. Regardless, the Islamic Republic denied the setbacks it faced moving forward.
The IRGC quickly claimed that the public should not be concerned, citing a training exercise as the means for a rocket explosion.
Despite the immediate speculation concerning another potential Israeli sabotage attempt, a spokesperson for the IRGC claimed that such assumptions should be discarded. They said, “The loud noise heard this afternoon in the suburbs of Karaj was caused by the firing of a rocket during a training exercise from one of the Guards’ bases, which has caused some speculations and rumors online.”
The spokesperson added, “Such exercises are not uncommon, and we call upon our dear compatriots not to pay attention to the rumors made by the opponents and enemies of the Iranian nation.”
Wednesday’s event also took place while nuclear discussions are underway between Tehran and the international community. Israel has long promised to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Following other recent explosions around sensitive sites, Iran has made similar claims.