Seven boats at a shipyard in Iran caught fire Wednesday, the latest in a slew of mysterious incidents that have led to speculation that an international foe is perpetrating sneak attacks in an attempt to sabotage the embattled regime.
The blaze started in the port of Bushehr, in southern Iran, but was contained and no casualties were reported, the head of the local crisis management organization told Irna news agency. Iran’s only nuclear power plant is located in Bushehr province.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, the report said.
Over the last several weeks, explosions at a nuclear enrichment complex, a missile production factory, and a gas pipeline in an apartment building in Tehran have raised eyebrows, as some analysts have speculated that Israel could be a likely aggressor, 360aproko reported.
“The tempo and tenor of the recent explosions in Iran have been unusual. There is evidence of a concerted campaign underway to thwart Iran’s nuclear program,” Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told 360aproko News recently. “The more Iran advances its nuclear program in violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the greater the likelihood for additional strikes.”
He continued: “Additionally, Tehran is distracted by the coronavirus and economic problems. The public is increasingly disenchanted with the regime’s ability to govern the country. The conditions are ripe for additional kinetic activity.”
Two other fires have also puzzled Iranian officials: one at an industrial zone in Mashhad, where six gas storage tanks were engulfed in flames Monday, and another at a petrochemical facility in Mahshahr that was blamed on an oil leak.
The incidents on various locations across Iran also come as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, particularly after the U.S. drone strike that killed Iran’s top commander of the elite Quds force Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January.
