Iran blames Israel for ‘sabotage’ at Natanz nuclear site

Tehran has described a power outage that crippled an important uranium enrichment facility as an act of "nuclear terrorism" and has vowed "revenge."

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday said Israel was responsible for a power failure at the Natanz nuclear complex south of Tehran on Sunday.

The facility lost power Sunday a day after Iran unveiled new advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster — violating commitments of the 2015 nuclear deal. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarid said Monday that Israel sabotaged the facility because of "progress" in talks between Tehran and world powers to lift sanctions. 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh later said at a press conference that Israel was taking "revenge on the people of Iran for their patience and wise attitude regarding the lifting of sanctions."