Israel ‘rigged Iran’s uranium centrifuges with explosives’ in bid to halt nuclear programme

According to Iran International, Zarif detailed how international sanctions have forced Iran and its allies to rely on intermediaries for equipment purchases, creating security vulnerabilities. "Instead of being able to order equipment directly from the manufacturer, sanctions force you to rely on multiple intermediaries for such purchases," he said, according to the report.

"If the Zionist regime infiltrates even one of the intermediaries, they can do anything and embed anything they want, which is exactly what happened," he added.

The claims were made by the Islamic regime's vice president Mohammad Javad Zarif (Picture: Getty)AFP via Getty Images

The Iranian official linked these vulnerabilities with the September 2024 pager and walkie-talkie detonations that decimated the command structure of the regime’s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah.

In response to the pager sabotage, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suspended the use of communication devices and initiated inspections, according to Iran International. The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization also implemented a ban on electronic communication devices, including mobile phones, on commercial flights.

"These are, in fact, some of the damages caused by sanctions, which have made circumventing them a necessity for us," continued Zarif.

"In addition to financial losses, there have also been significant security risks."

It comes after US officials claimed last year that Iran had plotted to murder Jewish American businessmen, offering a $500,000 reward.

The JC has contacted the IDF and Israeli Prime Minister’s Office for comment.