Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — Iran has reported an explosion near a closed nuclear site.

The Defense Industries Organization said a fire erupted in a factory that produced explosives in Teheran. The organization said the fire on late Oct. 5 killed two employees.

“Defense Industries Organization reported on Monday that fire broke out in an explosives-producing factory in eastern Teheran Sunday evening,” Iran’s official Irna news agency said on Oct. 6.

Irna did not provide details other than the death of the two factory workers. But the Iranian opposition said the blast took place near the Parchin military complex 30 kilometers southeast of Teheran.

[Related:

• Iran opposition reports three explosions at Teheran missile complex, May 8, 2013
• Iran calls missile factory explosion an accident; details of blast unclear, Dec. 14, 2011
• ‘Bombing squad’ penetrated security at Iran’s Isfahan; explosion wrecked nuke site, Dec. 1, 2011]

The International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed concern that Parchin hosted tests of nuclear detonators. Iran has denied IAEA access to Parchin for nearly a decade.

“The explosion was so intense that the windows of buildings located within a radius of 15 kilometers shattered,” the Iranian opposition Sham website said.

Iran has acknowledged huge explosions near missile and nuclear sites. In 2011, at least 17 officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in what was described as an explosion during the transfer of a missile.

Sham said the latest explosion sparked a flight by residents near Parchin. The website said the military and police were called to block access to Parchin, where solid-fuel ballistic missiles were reportedly manufactured.

“The explosion was visible for miles,” Sham said.

  Defense Industries Organization, IAEA, Iran confirms explosion at Parchin complex said to shatter windows in 15 km radius, IRGC