Two intelligence officials told The New York Times on Sunday that the fire at the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran was caused by a large explosion that completely destroyed the independent — and heavily protected — internal power system that supplies the underground centrifuges that enrich uranium.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the explosion had dealt a severe blow to Iran’s ability to enrich uranium and that it could take at least nine months to restore Natanz’s production.