‘Significant’ activity detected at Iran nuclear site that was battered during early stages of the war
Iran has quietly resumed operations at a nuclear facility that was battered by Israel in March, with new satellite imagery showing “significant renewed activity” and even new construction.
The high-resolution images, released by the Institute for Science and International Security, show “unusually heavy” vehicle traffic and excavation work at the Minzadayi compound, a nuclear weapons site northeast of Tehran.
“This points to Iran’s efforts to not just clean up the site … but to resume regular activities,” the Washington-based organization warned Saturday on X.
The site is believed to be involved in the research and development of nuclear warheads, based on public reporting and statements released by the Israel Defense Forces.
Significant vehicle presence was spotted between early September and early October, with cars parked outside the security perimeter in the parking lot — and several passenger vehicles and trucks seen inside.
“Given what is known about this compound, this activity may be indicative of an effort by Iran to reestablish a nuclear weapons development capability and to reconstitute what was lost in the attack on the compound,” the institute said in its report released this week.
The satellite images also showed repairs to what the institute said was a probable water tank — and even the addition of a small building near the compound.
Israeli aircraft struck the heavily secured site on March 3, three days after the war in Iran began with joint United States and Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and dozens of his top leaders — in his Tehran compound.
The report follows news that the Islamic Republic has also spent the last several months rebuilding its damaged weapons arsenal – and remains “well-stocked” with both ballistic missiles and “anti-ship weapons,” despite months of US and Israeli strikes.
Tehran has maintained its capacity to rapidly manufacture additional arms, Bloomberg reported, citing Western officials familiar with intelligence assessments.
Russia has also been providing Iran with missiles, according to the outlet.
In June, a Bloomberg report, citing Western intelligence assessments, estimated that the regime had retained about 75% of the missile stockpile it possessed before the war, potentially including missiles newly supplied by Russia.