With reference to Qom region, consider the following statements: 1. Qom is located along the western fringe of the Dasht-e-Kavir (Great Salt Desert), north of Saudi Arabia. 2. The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, a major underground nuclear facility, is situated northeast of Qom city. 3. The city serves as one of the primary holy pilgrimage sites for Shia Muslims, housing the shrine of Fatima Masumeh. How many of the statements given above are correct? |ForumIAS

[A] Only one

[B] Only two

[C] All three

[D] None

Answer: B

Notes:

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Qom is situated south of Tehran on the edge of the arid Dasht-e-Kavir desert.
Statement 2 is correct: The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) is a fortified underground uranium enrichment site built near a former military base northeast of Qom.
Statement 3 is correct: Qom is considered the religious center of Shia Islam in Iran, home to prominent seminaries (Hawza) and the holy Shrine of Fatima Masumeh.