Iran is making progress on its nuclear development program with the construction a new, extensive underground nuclear plant and network of tunnels, according to a report last week by The New York Times.
The complex is under construction near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, which houses an advanced uranium enrichment plant as well as a commercial fuel enrichment plant.
“The new Natanz underground complex, located in the mountainous area south of the main uranium enrichment site, will feature halls more deeply buried than the Fordow uranium enrichment site, itself deeply buried,” according to a report published this past January by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS).
“The potential size of the underground complex raises questions about what capabilities this new tunnel complex will provide in addition to a new advanced centrifuge assembly plant,” the Institute reported.
An advanced centrifuge enrichment plant is “certainly the most worrisome possibility,” the report added.
But first evidence of the new facility was seen in a satellite image by Maxar Technologist as far back as October 2020.
Yesterday, @Maxar released a really high-quality images of the changes at Natanz from October 21. @rafaelmgrossi has said that Iran is building an underground centrifuge assembly facility. We don't quite know, yet, where the facility will be located. pic.twitter.com/ZLCV0c5zcA
— Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) October 29, 2020
The evidence appeared following an attack the previous summer on the nearby Natanz nuclear site – Iran’s principal uranium enrichment facility – which destroyed one building completely and damaged another.
The #Natanz nuclear site is #Iran's principal uranium enrichment facility. A fire last week has caused significant damage.
Comparing high resolution satellite images from 29 June and 8 July shows the damage (?: @Maxar).
It still remains unclear what exactly happened. pic.twitter.com/FYjjlM3CsF
— Loránd Bodó (@LorandBodo) July 8, 2020
The outline of the facility under construction appears to be similar to one used at the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, also built under a mountain to protect it from aerial attack, according to Israeli and US intelligence sources cited in the report.
Intelligence officials are monitoring the progress of the construction using satellite imagery. According to NYT, the new underground facility, located south of the main plant, has been designed to withstand cyberattacks and bunker-buster bombs.
Israeli defense officials issued a warning about the construction in progress a month ago.
At that time, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that Iran is “working to complete the production of the centrifuges in its nuclear facilities, including a new underground complex near Natanz.”
It also appears that construction has been accelerated after an alleged joint Israeli-US operation that targeted systems at Natanz, and recent mysterious deaths of Iranian nuclear scientists – which Iran blamed on Israel.
