Satellite imagery suggests some of Iran’s nuclear capabilities survived US-Israeli strikes
CNN reported that while much of Iran’s nuclear production process has been “substantially damaged” by US and Israeli strikes, stores of highly enriched uranium “may not have been touched at all.” Satellite imagery shows the Saghand Uranium Mine operating normally, and Iran has covered tunnel entrances near Isfahan, suggesting valuable material remains underground.
Some of Iran’s nuclear capabilities may have survived the US and Israeli strikes that began on Feb. 28, CNN reported on Tuesday. According to the report, while much of the production process has been “substantially damaged,” some of the most critical components—including stores of highly enriched uranium—“may not have been touched at all.” Satellite imagery revealed that the Saghand Uranium Mine, where raw material is extracted, has expanded significantly in recent years and shows no evidence of damage, with diggers still operating at the site.
Underground facilities
The Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility, where raw uranium is purified and converted into uranium hexafluoride gas, has caused the “biggest headache” for US and Israeli planners, CNN said. Following the strikes, Iran covered several entrances to underground tunnels near those facilities, suggesting that “there still remains something valuable down there.” The survival of key parts of Iran’s nuclear program undermines claims that the program has been “obliterated” and complicates diplomatic efforts to reach a lasting agreement.
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