Satellite Images Released of Natanz Equipment Transfer Underground

Following an explosion at the Natanz nuclear facility, Iran is attempting to relocate its atomic equipment and centrifuge production sections underground. Released satellite images indicate Iran’s covert activities at the facility.

Reports released by news agencies indicate Iran’s new construction at the Natanz nuclear facility. Satellite images of this construction were released for the first time on Wednesday, October 28 (Aban 7).

The Associated Press reported on the transfer of parts of Iran’s atomic equipment underground. The International Atomic Energy Agency announced that it is aware of Iran’s measures in this regard.

The transfer of this equipment, particularly the centrifuge section, to underground facilities is occurring in response to the explosion on July 3 at the Natanz nuclear facility.

An explosion that, according to confirmation by Iranian Islamic Republic authorities, was caused by sabotage. The National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran has not yet released a detailed report on the perpetrators of this sabotage.

Two US Approaches

The Associated Press in its report referred to two US approaches regarding the nuclear agreement. The report states that the release of satellite images of the transfer of Natanz nuclear facilities underground is occurring at a time when only one week remains until the US elections.

Based on this report, the US maximum pressure campaign and this country’s withdrawal from the nuclear agreement has effectively accelerated Iran’s nuclear activities, and the Islamic Republic has moved closer to acquiring a nuclear bomb than it was when, due to the obligations stipulated in the JCPOA, it was forced to reduce the level of its nuclear activities.

Joe Biden in an interview he conducted with CNN news network in September said that if victorious in the elections, the US would again rejoin the countries that signed the nuclear agreement with Iran.

Agency Notification

It should be recalled that Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, formally announced on October 27 the transfer of parts of Natanz’s atomic equipment underground.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also told an Associated Press reporter on Tuesday, October 27, that the Agency’s inspectors are aware of the transfer of this equipment underground.

It is said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has increased its uranium enrichment level to four and a half percent and currently possesses 2,105 kilograms of enriched uranium.

The Associated Press in its report, citing nuclear experts, announced that to produce nuclear weapons and enrich uranium to 90 percent, having 1,050 kilograms of enriched uranium at a low level would suffice.

The same news agency has estimated that during the validity period of the nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic was one year away from acquiring a nuclear bomb, but this distance has now been reduced to just three months.

This is while the New York Times, following the fire in the centrifuge production section of the Natanz facility in July, announced that this sabotage operation disrupted Iran’s nuclear program and pushed back the level of nuclear activities by one to two years.

The transfer of Natanz nuclear facility equipment underground is being carried out with the aim of protecting it from possible air strikes. This is while this facility, in addition to the July 12 explosion, has previously been targeted by cyber attacks.

It is said that Israel and the US succeeded in obtaining some sensitive information from this facility by infecting it with the “Stuxnet” virus.

Source: DW