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Overview of Iran’s Nuclear Facilities: Key Insights
Location of Nuclear Facilities in Iran
Iran’s nuclear program is distributed across several sites, with various levels of protection against potential aerial assaults. While the threat of Israeli airstrikes has persisted for many years, only certain installations have been constructed underground.
Does Iran Have a Nuclear Weapons Program?
U.S. officials and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog assert that Iran once operated a clandestine nuclear weapons program that it discontinued in 2003. Iran refutes these claims, insisting it never pursued such a program.
In 2015, Iran reached an agreement to restrict its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from international sanctions. However, that agreement unraveled when President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal in 2018, leading Iran to gradually retract its compliance in subsequent years.
Is Iran Increasing Its Uranium Enrichment?
Indeed, Iran has intensified its uranium enrichment efforts since the breakdown of the 2015 agreement. This escalation has significantly shortened the "breakout time" required to accumulate enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb, reducing it from around a year to just days or perhaps over a week.
Producing an operational nuclear weapon would still require additional time, and the precise timeline is uncertain. Currently, Iran is enriching uranium to levels as high as 60% purity—close to the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material—at two different sites. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicates that Iran possesses enough enriched material at this level, if further processed, to potentially assemble six nuclear bombs.
Key Nuclear Sites in Iran
Natanz:
Central to Iran’s uranium enrichment program, Natanz is located near Qom, south of Tehran. It features two primary enrichment plants: the extensive underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) and the smaller Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) situated above ground. Discovered in 2002 by an exiled opposition group, Natanz has been a focal point of diplomatic tensions with Western nations.
The FEP, constructed about three stories underground, was designed to accommodate up to 50,000 centrifuges. Before the recent military engagements, around 16,000 centrifuges were installed, with 13,000 operational and enriching uranium to 5%. The PFEP has a fewer number of centrifuges but has successfully achieved uranium enrichment up to 60% purity.
Fordow:
Located east of Qom, the Fordow facility is deeply embedded in a mountain, providing substantial protection against airstrikes. Following U.S. military actions, President Trump commented on social media, claiming, "Fordow is gone."
Enrichment operations at Fordow were prohibited under the 2015 nuclear deal. Prior to military actions, approximately 2,000 centrifuges operated there, mainly advanced IR-6 models, with around 350 enriching uranium to 60%.
In 2009, the U.S., U.K., and France disclosed Iran’s clandestine construction of Fordow, prompting concerns from then-President Obama over its inconsistent nature with a peaceful nuclear program.
Isfahan:
As Iran’s second-largest city, Isfahan is home to a significant nuclear complex, including a uranium conversion facility that processes uranium into uranium hexafluoride for use in centrifuges, along with a Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant. The IAEA reports that Isfahan contains stored enriched uranium and houses equipment for producing centrifuge components and uranium metal, which is particularly sensitive due to its potential use in nuclear weapon cores.
In 2022, the IAEA noted a newly identified facility in Isfahan, marking a significant development.
Khondab:
Formerly known as Arak, Khondab is a heavy-water research reactor considered a proliferation risk, as it can generate plutonium, which can be utilized in nuclear weapons. Under the 2015 agreement, construction was halted, the core packed with concrete, and plans were made to redesign the reactor to prevent plutonium production. Iran has expressed intentions to resume operations at this facility in 2026.
Tehran Research Center:
This facility houses a research reactor along with other nuclear research operations.
Bushehr:
Located on the Gulf coast, Bushehr is Iran’s only functioning nuclear power plant. It uses fuel supplied by Russia, which is returned after use, mitigating proliferation risks.
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