Iranian news agencies on Saturday reported a large explosion in the sky above the town of Natanz, which houses nuclear sites, but the incident was later downplayed by state TV.
The country's air defence units fired a missile as part of an exercise, said state media, after local residents reported hearing a large blast.
The missile was fired to test a rapid-reaction force over Natanz, reports said. “Such exercises are carried out in a completely secure environment … and there is no cause for concern,” Army spokesman Shahin Taqikhani told state TV.
The exercise came as talks to avoid the collapse of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord in Vienna drew to a close after five days.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that Iran “does not seem to be serious” about returning to the pact, while European countries on Saturday voiced their “disappointment and concern”. The seventh round of talks is due to resume next week. An unnamed senior Iranian official said on Sunday that Tehran did not believe the US would lift sanctions.
Iranian news agencies had earlier reported the explosion, saying there was no official explanation of the incident, which caused a flurry of speculation on social media that an attack on Iranian nuclear sites could be under way.
The semi-official Fars news agency quoted its reporter in nearby Badroud as saying a short blast was heard which was accompanied by an intense light in the sky.
“No exact details are available about this,” Fars quoted the local governor of Badroud as saying.
Attacks on Natanz
In April, Iran accused Israel of sabotaging the Natanz nuclear site and vowed revenge for an attack that appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running covert war.
Israeli media outlets have quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying the country's Mossad spy service carried out a successful sabotage operation at the underground Natanz complex, potentially setting back enrichment work there by months. But Israel has not formally commented on the incident.
Israel fears that Iran may soon have enough uranium enriched to “weapons grade” to build a nuclear device, and the country's air force has rehearsed a pre-emptive attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, in the event that sabotage operations fail. Natanz houses thousands of advanced centrifuges for uranium enrichment.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said: “Iran’s nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning … We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
Aware of the risk of a pre-emptive Israeli strike, Iran has invested heavily in air defences. In 2017, Iranian Brig Gen Farzad Esmaili said that a top priority was protecting nuclear facilities. That year, Iran conducted its first tests of the Russian-made S-300 air defence system, which the Iranian military purchased for an estimated $800 million.
Iran also has a large number of older surface to air missiles including the Russian-made SA-3, which can be fired at targets up to 80,000 ft. The SA-3 successfully shot down a $200 million US Global Hawk drone in June 2019 — a high altitude but slow flying aircraft. Another system, the SA-15, was linked to the shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on January 8, 2020, with the loss of 176 lives.
In the event of a conflict, it is unclear how Iran's air defences might fare against Israeli F-35s. Like Iran, Syria has deployed S-300 and SA-3 missiles to stop Israeli incursions into its air space, but has had little success stopping air raids targeting Iran-backed groups and weapons.
For this reason, many of Iran's nuclear facilities are located deep underground.
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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Naga
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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