Iranian Factory Affiliated with Defense Ministry Hit by Fire

A “massive fire” hit a storage area of an Iranian Defense Ministry’s factory north of Tehran, local media reported on September 22.

The fire happened in a storage area of plastic items in a battery factory north of Tehran, Fars news agency reported. 

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that the fire happened in “warehouses of a battery manufacturing center” affiliated with the ministry.

Footage showed a black column of smoke rising in the nighttime sky.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze with no casualties and the cause is under investigation, according to a state TV report, which did not mention any potential damage. 

Incidents at the country’s defense industry sites have increased in recent years, with the authorities blaming the Islamic Republic’s foreign foes for attacks or sabotage.

In August, Iran accused Israel of trying to sabotage its ballistic missile program through faulty foreign parts that could explode, damaging or destroying the weapons before they could be used.

Last year, an explosion at a military and weapons development base east of Tehran killed an engineer and wounded another.