Iran to respond to any country behind Natanz fire

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that if any country was behind the fire at the Natanz nuclear site, it would receive a decisive response from Iran.

At his regular briefing spokesman for the ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said that authorities were investigating the incident.

He said: "If any governments or the regimes had played a role in this incident, it is natural for Iran to show decisive and important reactions."

Iran said earlier that the cause of a fire at the Natanz nuclear site is known, but won't be immediately released due to "security reasons".

An explosion took place at the underground Natanz nuclear site and damaged a building.

The Natanz fire came less than a week after an explosion in an area east of Tehran that analysts believe hides an underground tunnel system and missile production sites.

Soon after the incident a self-described group called the "Cheetahs of the Homeland" claimed responsibility for the explosion in a language used by several exiled Iranian opposition organizations.

The group has been unheard of before by Iran experts.

Iran has long claimed its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Mousavi also reacted to the fire on a US warship, sarcastically saying he was surprised how fast their navy warships catch fire.

Twenty-one people suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire on Sunday on board the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego, military officials said.