Iran says damage at nuclear site ‘significant’

TEHRAN: An accident at a nuclear complex in Iran caused significant damage and could slow the production of centrifuges used to enrich uranium, the country´s atomic energy spokesman said. The incident happened on Thursday at a warehouse under construction at the Natanz complex in central Iran, but caused no casualties or radioactive pollution, according to the Islamic republic´s nuclear body. Security officials called it an accident and said they had determined the cause, without providing any further explanation. “There were no victims... but the damage is significant on a financial level,” Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said in an interview published Sunday by state news agency IRNA. “In the medium term, this accident could slow down the development and production” of advanced centrifuges, he said. Natanz is one of Iran´s main uranium enrichment plants. “God willing, and with constant effort... we will compensate for this slowdown so that the rebuilt site will have even more capacity than before,” Kamalvandi added.