Fire at nuclear site caused 'considerable damage', Iran says

A fire that broke out at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility has caused significant damage that could slow the development of centrifuges, an official says.

A building which is part of the Natanz uranium enrichment facilities after it was reportedly damaged by a fire. Source: AAP

A blaze in an industrial shed at an Iranian nuclear facility has left "considerable damage," the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says according to state news agency IRNA.

The warehouse, built seven years ago at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, was said to be the site where centrifuges would be developed in future.

However various devices have now been damaged or completely destroyed in the fire, AEOI spokesman Behrus Kamalwandi told IRNA.

"Fortunately, no one was killed in the incident, but the financial damage was considerable," Mr Kamalwandi said, according to the report.

Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi Source: Getty Images Europe

Mr Kamalwandi had initially spoken of limited damage after the fire on Thursday, which he said also had no impact on operations at the facility itself.

The AEOI also said there was no nuclear material in the industrial shed.

For safety reasons, the Iranian leadership said it does not yet want to disclose further details or the exact cause of the incident.

The underground site is located 220 kilometres southeast of Tehran and is Iran's most important uranium enrichment plant, leading to some speculation about the cause of the accident.

The International Atomic Energy Agency had recently pressured Iran to allow nuclear inspections at suspect nuclear sites.