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‘Iran Blames Israel for Natanz Blackout’


COGwriter

Voice of America reported the following:

Iran Blames Israel for Natanz Blackout

April 12, 2021

Iran is blaming Israel for a blackout at the country’s underground Natanz nuclear facility.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said uranium enrichment centrifuges were damaged, and that Iran would take unspecified revenge against Israel.

Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi called Sunday’s incident an act of “nuclear terrorism.”

“While condemning this desperate move, the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the need for a confrontation by the international bodies and the (International Atomic Energy Agency) against this nuclear terrorism,” he said, according to state TV.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations body that monitors Iran’s atomic program, said Sunday that it was aware of the situation and following developments, but did not elaborate.

Citing two intelligence officers who said they had been briefed on the damage, the New York Times reported that the incident was a severe blow to Iran’s ability to enrich uranium, and it could take up to nine months to restore Natanz.

The Times said U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials said there had been an Israeli role in the blackout. Multiple Israeli media outlets reported Sunday that Israel could have been behind the blackout, which may have been a cyberattack.

The blackout comes as the United States and Iran are set to have a second round of indirect talks this week to try to revive the 2015 nuclear deal Iran reached with world powers. The deal is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Iran has maintained that all U.S. sanctions against it must be lifted, and the U.S. warned that such a demand may lead to an impasse. U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged to return to the JCPOA if Iran first resumes full compliance.

Then-U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement in 2018 and a reimposition of American sanctions on Iran became a major irritant in relations between the United States and Europe. Iran in turn began taking steps away from its commitments as it sought sanctions relief, including holding larger stockpiles of enriched uranium and enriching the material to higher levels.

The Natanz facility has been subject to attacks in the past, including the Stuxnet cyberattacks nearly a decade ago, which was widely blamed on the United States and Israel. Natanz also suffered a mysterious explosion of its centrifuge assembly plant last July, which Iranian authorities described as sabotage.

The U.S. and Israel have not commented on the latest blackout.

The incident came one day after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani oversaw on live television the launch at Natanz of advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium, a key component for nuclear weapons, while reiterating his country’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation. https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/iran-blames-israel-natanz-blackout

Here is more about this:

April 12, 2021

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.”

“If the purpose was to interrupt the path of lifting the oppressive sanctions against Iran, they will certainly not reach their goal,” Khatibzadeh said. …

The Israeli government has not yet directly commented on the incident at Natanz. However, reports in several Israeli media outlets quoted unnamed intelligence officials in saying Israel’s national intelligence agency, Mossad, was responsible. https://www.dw.com/en/iran-blames-israel-for-sabotage-at-natanz-nuclear-site/a-57164470

Israel and Iran have been threatening each other and taking actions against each other for years (e.g. ‘Netanyahu Blames Iran for Cargo Ship Blast’ and ZH: Iran Accuses Israel Of Seeking To Provoke “Full-Blown War” With Brazen Assassination and ‘Yet Another Explosion at Iranian Nuclear Site’ and Israel claimed Iran attacked it from Syria, then Israel launched huge counter-strike).

But we are getting closer to a major conflict which will make previous ones pale in comparison. A major conflict that could be the trigger that will lead to the deal of Daniel 9:27 and the countdown to the end.

Netanyahu does NOT trust the Biden-Harris Administration to do what it feels is necessary and has publicly pushed the idea of a pre-emptive strike against Iran. This could happen relatively soon.

Israel can damage Iran, yet Iran also has the ability to harm the nation of Israel.

As regular readers of this page are aware, damage coming to Judah (the modern nation of Israel) from a power like Iran looks to be prophesied:

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots,And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. (Isaiah 22:51-9)

Elam looks to be a reference to at least some in Iran. Isaiah 22 shows, presuming that it has a future application, that a time is coming when God will take away the protection of Judah and the City of David (Jerusalem, cf. 2 Kings 9:28) and that Iran is a threat.

Kir is of interest as it has several possibilities. One is that the Bible tells that after Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to Kir. While this does not mean that Kir must (or must only) be a reference to Syria, the fact that Syria is an ally of Iran is interesting. Some believe Kir is an area in the south of Iran, while others suggest closer to the Black Sea. The Bible tells of a time when Kir will be destroyed (Isaiah 15:1b).

Syria’s capital Damascus has been called the oldest continually inhabited city on the earth (though another place also claims that position). It’s destruction is prophesied:

1 The burden against Damascus.

“Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,
And it will be a ruinous heap.
2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
They will be for flocks
Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
3 The fortress also will cease from Ephraim,
The kingdom from Damascus,
And the remnant of Syria;
They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

4 “In that day it shall come to pass
That the glory of Jacob will wane,
And the fatness of his flesh grow lean. (Isaiah 17:1-4)

This looks to take place near, and possibly before, the start of the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), also known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22). Things will change in Syria as more destruction will hit it in the future.

Now as Isaiah 22 shows, Israel could very well be damaged by Iran before the the Great Tribulation begins.

Would it strike back?

Undoubtedly.

Consider also the following:

34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,
The foremost of their might.
36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds
From the four quarters of heaven,
And scatter them toward all those winds;
There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies
And before those who seek their life.
I will bring disaster upon them,
My fierce anger,’ says the Lord;
‘And I will send the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 I will set My throne in Elam,
And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:34-38)

I have long believed that Iran is a threat that will one day be ‘neutralized,’ as I believe it will overplay its hand. The above prophecy, if it has application in this time, would tend to support that.

What is happening between Iran and Israel looks to be a precursor to events that will lead to the deal of Daniel 9:27.

Here is part of number 9 of my list of 21 items to prophetically watch in 2021:

Daniel 9:27 seems to be discussing some type of peace deal that the Europeans will either propose or at least one leader from Europe will endorse.

Why is this believed to be a type of ‘peace deal’?

There are several reasons, but notice some other scriptures that discuss this leader:

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)

So this leader gives people the impression that there will be “peace” and is involved in some type of deal. This is the same leader that confirms the covenant in Daniel 9:27. The term is translated as “peace” in Daniel 8:25 is from the Hebrew term shalvah and essentially means security. In other words, this leader will destroy “many” who are under the impression that they are secure because of some type of security and/or trade arrangement. Such arrangements are now commonly referred to as peace deals or treaties.

US President Trump, leaders in the Middle East, and leaders in Europe have all discussed various peace deals. Essentially, they tend to be advocating one similar to the deal in Daniel 9:27.

The President of Palestine, in December 2017 stated, “The United States has chosen to lose its qualification as a mediator … We will no longer accept that it has a role in the political process from now.” (see Palestine’s Abbas wants UN not USA, Turkey’s Erdogan says recognize Palestinian Jerusalem). He made a similar statement a few days earlier after US President Donald Trump announced the official recogniton of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by the USA. Europe also denounced Donald Trump’s decision, which would tend to endear them to the Palestinians (see Donald Trump announces plan to relocate US Israeli embassy to Jerusalem against torrent of world opinion).

This essentially means that Europe will be involved, and may take the lead, on this deal. So, this is something to look out for as that is consistent with biblical prophecy.

What appears most likely at this stage is the the Biden-Harris Administration will try to work with the Palestinians and Europeans to come up with something they will find acceptable and then attempt to pressure Israel to take it.

Though it may take a regional war, with the prophesied destruction coming to Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:6-8) for that to happen.

If Iran is less than pleased with the Biden-Harris Administration, perhaps that could come as early as 2021–we will have to wait and see.

Once the deal is confirmed for one prophetic week (which could happen some time AFTER a deal is made) by the “prince,” the seven-year countdown for the return of Jesus occurs.

But since the deal is broken in the middle of it, by the King of the North, who was once the “prince” of Daniel 9:26-27, the countdown for the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) will begin. That 3 1/2 period of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord is the same length of time some have calculated associated with the handwriting on the wall that Daniel wrote of in the 5th chapter of his book.

Let me also state that it may take a major regional war for the ‘peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27 to be ratified. Iran, Syria, and Israel may one day be in a major regional war in the future. It will not bring real peace.

We are getting much closer to that time.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria.
21 items to prophetically watch in 2021 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 21 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 21 Items to Watch in 2021.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 12th, 2021 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Prophecy.



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