Satellite imagery shows ‘highly suspicious’ construction at a separate Natanz facility, raising clandestine enrichment fears as IAEA inspections remain limited.
WASHINGTON — Iran is actively constructing a new underground nuclear facility that was not targeted in the recent joint U.S.-Israeli attacks, according to an analysis of satellite images released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
While the “Midnight Hammer” operation in June successfully neutralized uranium enrichment and processing at the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites, construction has continued at a separate, deep-underground complex located 1.5 kilometers south of the main Natanz plant.
The CSIS report, using satellite photos from June and September, shows the construction of a new security wall and expanded access to the bunker, which began development in 2020. Analysts called the continued activity “highly suspicious” and suggested three possible purposes: a new uranium centrifuge assembly plant, a new metallurgical facility, or a clandestine enrichment plant to expand Iran’s stockpile.
The findings escalate concerns amid a severe lack of international oversight. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has had its access sharply limited by Tehran.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi recently warned that “if diplomacy fails, I fear a renewed use of force.” He noted that Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state enriching uranium to 60%, close to the 90% needed for a bomb, and would have enough material for “about 10 nuclear bombs” if it took the next steps, though he added there is “no proof” it is actively seeking to build one.
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