On Friday, June 20th, a powerful earthquake of 5.1 magnitude struck northern Iran’s Semnan area. According to Tasnim News Agency, the earthquake happened 27 kilometres southwest of Semnan. The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres.
However, the earthquake has now triggered a wave of speculations about whether Tehran has tested a nuclear weapon. It has also sparked concern because it struck near a city with a space and missile complex. The Semnan Space Center and the Semnan Missile Complex, run by Iran’s military, are said to be located there.
The earthquake comes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, as they enter the ninth day of the escalating war. Iran and Israel exchanged fresh attacks early on Saturday, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive.
Iran’s news agency said that there were no casualties and only “minimal damage”. The conflict-ridden country is one of the most seismically active countries in the world because of its position along the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt where the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge.
Iran typically receives 2,100 earthquakes a year, of which 15 to 16 are of magnitude 5.0 or higher. Between 2006 and 2015, the country experienced 96,000 earthquakes.
Underground explosions during nuclear activities can trigger earthquakes by releasing tectonic stress near the blast. However, seismologists can distinguish between explosions and natural earthquakes by studying the seismic waves. Seismic data suggests that the earthquake was a natural event.
According to India Today, expert analysis by US Geological Survey (USGS) and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) and independent seismologists dismiss speculation about nuclear tests or military induced earthquakes.
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