steel plant airstrikes

Tehran (dpa) — A steel plant near Isfahan has halted operations after new airstrikes on Iran’s steel industry, newspapers Shargh and Ham-Mihan reported on Thursday, citing a statement by Mobarakeh Steel Company.

The extent of the damage and destruction to the facilities led to a complete shutdown of the production lines, the statement said. Employees were instructed to stop work, it said.

After more than four weeks of war, Israel and the United States are now also targeting civilian infrastructure and industrial areas.

The steel industry is one of Iran’s key sectors and plays a central role, for example, in car production and the defence sector. The Mobarakeh plant near Isfahan is the country’s largest steel producer and an important pillar of domestic supply.
Against the backdrop of international sanctions, Iran has deliberately expanded its steel production to become less dependent on imports. More than 10,000 people are employed at the plant near Isfahan.