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3 organized crime members with ties to Iran charged in assassination attempt against US citizen in NY
Three members of an Eastern European criminal organization with ties to Iran were involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a New York-based journalist, a U.S. citizen, the Department of Justice alleged Friday.
A loud blast has been reported at an Iranian military facility and officials in the country say it was the result of an “unsuccessful” drone attack.
“One of (the drones) was hit by the … air defense and the other two were caught in defense traps and blew up. Fortunately, this unsuccessful attack did not cause any loss of life and caused minor damage to the workshop’s roof,” the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency IRNA.
Iranian news agencies earlier reported the loud blast and carried a video showing a flash of light at the plant, said to be an ammunitions factory, and footage of emergency vehicles and fire trucks outside the plant.
Videos purportedly showing the explosion circulated on social media and witnesses said they heard “three or four explosions.”
US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CHARGES 3 MEN AS PART OF PLOT TO KILL IRANIAN-AMERICAN AUTHOR, ACTIVIST MASIH ALINEJAD
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gives a live broadcast on state television
(Getty Images)
“(The attack) has not affected our installations and mission…and such blind measures will not have an impact on the continuation of the country’s progress,” the defence ministry statement said.
There have been a number of explosions and fires around Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past few years.
In July, Iran said it had arrested a sabatoge team made up of Kurdish militants working for Israel who planned to blow up a “sensitive” defence industry centre in Isfahan.
The announcement came amid heightening tensions with arch-enemy Israel over Tehran’s nuclear program. Israel says Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this.
The blast comes as talks between the United States and Iran appear to have stalled regarding a renegotiated nuclear deal between the two countries.
IRAN CAN FUEL ‘SEVERAL’ ATOMIC BOMBS: UN NUCLEAR OFFICIAL
Former President Hassan Rouhani, second right, listens to head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi while visiting an exhibition of Iran’s new nuclear achievements in Tehran, Iran, in April 2021
(Iranian Presidency Office/AP)
“The Iranians killed the opportunity for a swift return to mutual compliance with the JCPOA in September when they turned their backs on a deal that was on the table, approved by all,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital in December.
“The JCPOA has not been on the agenda for months. It is not our focus.”
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In this undated photo released on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, speaks with Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan, Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday, Jan. 7, appointed Gen. Radan as the new chief of police.
(Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon and the White House for comment and did not immediately receive a response.
Reuters contributed to this report
Andrew Mark Miller is a writer at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to [email protected].