Iran Expands and Fortifies Underground Nuclear Sites
Iran is fortifying its underground nuclear sites amid talks with the United States on its nuclear program and growing fears of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, an April 25 report by the Institute for Science and International Security said.
Satellite imagery revealed that Iran is constructing two tunnel complexes along the perimeter of the base of Mount Kolang Gaz La and the nearby nuclear facility in Natanz. One of the tunnels has been under construction for years, but the other is new, which suggests Iran is worried about possible infiltration of the site.
Iran has not allowed International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to the complexes. This raises concerns that it could be using the complexes to store highly enriched uranium, undeclared nuclear materials or advanced centrifuges that could quickly further enrich uranium for a nuclear bomb.
U.S. talks: U.S. President Donald Trump has been trying to negotiate a deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program. His proposed deal, however, looks awfully similar to that of former President Barack Obama, as he has signaled Iran could keep its nuclear production capability.
Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon, and [Trump] reserves every right to prevent that from happening, but he would prefer it not happen. He would prefer that there not be a need to resort to military force, either by us or anybody else. He would prefer that it’d be something that we can negotiate. …
If Iran wants a civil nuclear program, they can have one just like many other countries in the world have one. That is, they import enriched material.
—Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state
Trump has threatened a joint U.S.-Israel attack if talks with Iran fail, and Israel has not ruled out an attack on Iranian nuclear sites even without America’s support.
Iran has vowed to retaliate against any such strike, and its fortification of its nuclear infrastructure reveals the nation to be undeterred in continuing its nuclear program.
The bomb: Iran has long played the game of agreeing to talks, making vague promises, and then silently continuing to develop nuclear weapons under the radar. Now that Trump seems to be abandoning his demand for Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, it is only a matter of time before it develops nuclear bombs—if it doesn’t already have them.
To learn why the Trumpet is certain Iran will acquire nuclear bombs, read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Iran’s Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons.”
