Explosions were reported in the Iranian cities of Delijan and Arak, according to Iranian media, with Saudi state television amplifying the coverage. The Arak region is home to one of Iran’s most closely watched nuclear facilities, a heavy-water reactor that has sat at the center of international nonproliferation debates for years.
What happened and why Arak keeps coming up
The UN’s nuclear watchdog previously confirmed the facility was no longer operational. Smoke and blast reports near Arak were also documented in March 2026, making the latest reports part of a pattern rather than an isolated incident. Additional explosions were recorded in Arak and Isfahan in late March 2026, and separate blasts in southern Iranian locations including Bushehr and Bandar Abbas occurred in July 2026.
Delijan, located in Markazi Province roughly between Tehran and Isfahan, is less internationally prominent than Arak but sits in a strategically sensitive corridor. Its inclusion in the latest reports broadens the geographic scope of what is being hit, or reported to be hit, inside Iranian territory.
The sourcing here is worth noting. Saudi state television reporting on explosions inside Iran is not a neutral act. Riyadh and Tehran have spent decades as regional rivals, and the choice to broadcast these reports carries its own geopolitical signal alongside the factual content.
