Satellite images show that Iran has been reinforcing key military and nuclear facilities, including sites struck by the US and Israel last year, as possible war looms between Tehran and Washington.
The hurried work has begun at several bases across Iran, according to Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) founder David Albright, who warned Tuesday that the more time Tehran is given to negotiate, the better prepared it will be to protect its secret bases like the newly built Taleghan 2.
“Stalling the negotiations has its benefits: Over the last two to three weeks, Iran has been busy burying the new Taleghan 2 facility… More soil is available and the facility may soon become a fully unrecognizable bunker, providing significant protection from aerial strikes,” Albright wrote on X.
The Taleghan 2 facility lies within the secretive Parchin military complex, located about 20 miles southeast of Iran and which now appears to be completely covered by a “concrete sarcophagus,” according to Institute analysis.
Satellite images of the facility, which has allegedly hosted nuclear weapons tests for more than two decades, show that the structure has completely vanished from view.
Work at the Parchin complex began in 2024 after it was struck by Israel, but images from late last year show that Iran had been speeding up efforts to create a metallic roof to cover the facility.
As of Monday, the Institute said the structure was buried and could no longer be seen, a dangerous development after photos were taken of what appeared to be explosive devices being hauled to the site in November.
“High-explosive containment vessels are critical to the development of nuclear weapons,” ISIS warned, “but can also be used in many other conventional weapons development processes.”
Similar concealment work was conducted at the Isfahan complex, one of the three Iranian uranium-enrichment plants that was hit by the US last June.
As of last week, all three entrances to the tunnel complex are “completely buried,” according to the satellite images.
The same was done at the Natanz facility, which houses Iran’s other two uranium-enrichment plants, ISIS said.
Tehran has also rolled out repair and fortifying efforts at its Shiraz and Qom missile bases, which were damaged during the 12-day war with Israel last year, according to the Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center.
Iran’s work to defend the sites come as tensions continue to ramp up with the US over Tehran’s atomic program, with President Trump threatening military action if a new nuclear deal isn’t reached.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed the latest warning from the US during an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA meeting in Paris on Wednesday.
Wright said the US would never allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons, with America ready to take whatever action is deemed necessary to stop such an event.
“They’ve been very clear about what they would do with nuclear weapons. It’s entirely unacceptable,” Wright told reporters.
“So one way or the other, we are going to end, deter Iran’s march towards a nuclear weapon.”
With Post wires
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