DUBAI – Iranian air defenses fired a missile Saturday as part of an exercise over the central town of Natanz, which houses nuclear installations, state TV reported, after local residents reported hearing a large blast.
The TV said air defense units fired the missile to test a rapid reaction force over Natanz.
‘Such exercises are carried out in a completely secure environment … and there is no cause for concern,’ Army spokesman Shahin Taqikhani told the TV.
Iranian news agencies earlier reported a large explosion in the sky above Natanz but said there was no official explanation of the incident.
The semi-official Fars news agency quoted its reporter in nearby Badroud as saying a short blast was heard that was accompanied by an intense light in the sky.
The Islamic Republic says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
