Earthquake of magnitude 4.5 hits Iran near Bushehr nuclear power plant

Earthquake of magnitude 4.5 struck Iran near the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Wednesday morning at around 6:49am (0319 GMT). The earthquake had a depth of 10 kilometres and struck 17 kilometres south-southeast of Borazjan city, the United States Geological Survey said on its website. Borazjan is nearly 70 kilometres drive away from Bushehr. On December 27, an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 struck Iran near the same nuclear power plant. According to USGS, the quake jolted villages near Kalameh city which is approximately 45 Kilometers from the nuclear power plant. 

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The earthquake struck Iran when the whole world woke up to the news of Tehran attacking US targets in Iraq. Iran on Wednesday morning attacked two Iraqi military bases hosting US-led coalition troops in retaliation to US forces killing top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. Washington on January 3, killed Iran's top military commander who played a major role in defeating the Islamic State in Iraq. But the United States alleges that Soleimani was responsible for multiple attacks on US troops over the past few years and was also involved in major terrorist attacks in different parts of the world. Washington believes that Soleimani was behind the attacks that took place on the US embassy in Iraq on December 31. 

Read: Majinder Sirsa 'prays For Peace & Humanity' As Iran Launches Missiles On US Troops In Iran

Iran defends missile attacks

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has defended Iran's missile attack on US targets in Iraq by calling it a "legitimate self-defence". Zarif told state TV that Iran's action was a legitimate self-defence and that Washington should avoid assessing it based on illusions. The missile attacks on Iraqi bases have further escalated tensions between Iran and the United States as major stakeholders in the region has urged both the countries to try and ease the traction. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned that attacks on bases hosting US-led coalition troops, including British personnel. 

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