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Leaders
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Leaders
What We Know About the Iranian Nuclear Facilities Targeted in US Strikes
US has launched airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities, employing stealth bombers and bunker-busting munitions in an operation aimed at supporting Israel's ongoing military campaign against Iran. The strikes, which began on 13 June, were designed to cripple Tehran's uranium enrichment capabilities and hinder its nuclear ambitions. The Targets: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan The US strikes focused on three of the most critical and advanced sites in Iran's nuclear program: the Fordow enrichment plant, the Natanz nuclear facility, and the Isfahan nuclear complex. Each of these locations plays a pivotal role in Iran's production and development of nuclear fuel. Fordow Facility Located approximately 30 kilometers northeast of the city of Qom, the Fordow site is entirely built into a mountain at an altitude of 1,750 meters, shielded by dense rock and volcanic layers—making it one of Iran's most fortified nuclear sites. The underground facility houses two halls and has the capacity to accommodate around 3,000 IR-1 centrifuges. It is primarily used to enrich uranium up to 60% purity—just below the weapons-grade threshold. Fordow has long been seen as a primary military target due to both its technical capabilities and hardened location. Natanz Reactor Situated near the central Iranian city of Kashan, the Natanz site is protected by a 22-meter-thick combination of earthen and concrete cover and surrounded by mountainous terrain. It includes both main and pilot enrichment plants and hosts over 14,000 centrifuges of various generations (IR-1, IR-2m, IR-4, and IR-6). Natanz serves as Iran's main industrial enrichment center, responsible for producing the majority of the country's low-enriched uranium. It is also central to the research and development of advanced centrifuge technology. Isfahan Nuclear Complex Located on a barren plateau south of Isfahan city, far from major population centers, the complex is not hardened or underground. It contains the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), a fuel fabrication plant, and three research reactors. Strategically vital, the Isfahan complex supports both the Natanz and Fordow facilities by supplying essential nuclear materials. It lies at the heart of Iran's nuclear research and manufacturing infrastructure. Statements from Washington and Tehran Earlier today, former U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the airstrikes as a major success, claiming they had 'wiped out' Iran's principal nuclear sites. 'Fordow is gone,' Trump declared, adding that the main enrichment installations had been 'completely and utterly destroyed.' He urged Iran to 'choose peace now.' In contrast, Iranian media outlet Tasnim quoted an unnamed Iranian official who downplayed the impact, stating the nuclear sites had been evacuated in advance and had not sustained irreparable damage. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran also assured the public there was 'no risk of radiation leakage' as a result of the strikes. The US operation marks a dramatic escalation in the conflict, with significant implications for regional stability and the future of Iran's nuclear program. Related topics: US Strikes Iran: Fordo Nuclear Site 'Gone' in Conflict Escalation No Radiation Detected in Saudi Arabia, GCC after US Strikes on Iran: NRRC Tehran Vows Retaliation to US Strikes as Iranian Missiles Hit Israel Short link : Post Views: 8
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Bad mistake: Tulsi Gabbard just threw Iran a nuclear lifeline
Tulsi Gabbard should check her 'Iran Nuke' Signal group — if such a thing exists or existed. Why? Because Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to have entered the group chat and has led her astray. Testifying Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, President Trump's director of national intelligence said the intelligence community 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamanei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.' Khamenei is undoubtedly thrilled with this. His regime is in tatters. His so-called 'Axis of Resistance' — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and a host of other militias — has been badly mauled by Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7. attacks. And yet here is Gabbard, throwing a lifeline to Khamenei's nuclear weapons program and doing so in the most public of ways. This is a classic case of ignoring the sum of the parts that do indeed add up to the whole — and in this case, the whole is that Iran is aggressively chasing weaponization of its nuclear program to re-establish strategic deterrence. Gabbard needs to remember that her job is not intelligence gathering. The mission of her office is to lead and support intelligence integration, delivering insights, driving capabilities, and investing in the future. In that sense — and please excuse the cliché — if it walks like a nuclear duck, quacks like a nuclear duck, then it is a nuclear duck. Gabbard is, wittingly or not, failing to process all of the intelligence collected. Consider that Iran is rapidly accelerating its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency now estimates as of February 8, Tehran has amassed '274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent.' Bear in mind that nuclear power plants, hospital experiments, and other common commercial uses of low-enriched uranium only require enrichment levels between 3 percent and 5 percent. The only reason to highly enrich uranium past 5 percent is to begin the process of weaponizing it. To create a mushroom cloud, 90 percent entriched uranium is required. But it also requires a sufficient mass of enriched uranium to sustain a chain reaction that results in a nuclear implosion. Last December, Iran Watch estimated that Khamenei's 'nuclear program has reached the point at which, within about one week, [it] might be able to enrich enough uranium for five fission weapons.' Given Iran's ever-increasing centrifuge capacity — the key manufacturing component of enriching uranium — that volume will only exponentially increase. It is important to emphasize that Iran already has this capability. As Iran Watch noted, Tehran is operating at least '36 cascades of IR-1 centrifuges as well as 30 cascades of more powerful centrifuges (15 IR-2m cascades, 12 IR-4 cascades, and three IR-6 cascades) at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant.' Iran Watch also reported that Khamenei is operating at least 'six cascades of IR-1 centrifuges and two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and nearly a thousand centrifuges at the Natanz pilot plant, notably the IR-4 and IR-6.' Significantly, these are just the known nuclear sites in Iran. In October 2024, Israel during its retaliatory strikes on Iran, destroyed the Taleghan 2 nuclear facility — an undeclared Iranian nuclear facility. Others undoubtedly exist. Israel likely already knows their locations. Iran is effective in hiding its nuclear weapons program. In February, Fox News Digital reported that 'Iran's chief nuclear development agency, the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, has been operating out two locations previously recognized as space development and launch sites.' These include space facilities in Shahrud and Semnan. Gabbard surely knew this before she began testifying. Weaponization not only requires sufficient stockpiles of 90 percent enriched uranium — the equivalent mass of two fifty-pounds bags of dog food is needed for one nuke — but also warheads, ballistic missiles, propulsion fuels and launch pads or vehicles. These are nuclear red flags that Gabbard cannot overlook. Gabbard needs to bring Team Trump's policy approach up to speed vis-à-vis Iran's nuclear weapons program. This notion that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon is nonsense — or it is intentional parsing, in the full knowledge that that is exactly what Khamenei is intent upon doing. Either way, it is deceptive. Iran is pursuing or already building all of the components needed to construct, deliver and launch nuclear weapons. It would be foolish from a national security standpoint to wait until Tehran either tests or launches a nuke before connecting all of these obvious dots. Even the IAEA is sounding the warning bells. Rafael Grossi, its director, warned about Khamenei's intentions in February when he said, 'Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to this level, causing me serious concern.' There are signs that others in the Trump Administration are recognizing the magnitude of this rapidly growing threat. The War Zone reported on Tuesday that 'a significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the [strategically located] Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.' Earlier, on Sunday while appearing on CBS Face The Nation, Mike Waltz, Trump's national security advisor, warned Iran to 'give [its nuclear weapons program] up or there will be consequences.' But Gabbard said they were not building a nuclear weapon. That said, saying 'don't' did not work for the Biden Administration. It won't work for Team Trump, either. In all likelihood, Iran will stand down only if militarily forced to do so. Khamenei is playing a deeper and longer-term game. He and his regime know that unless Iran becomes a nuclear power, its ambitions of dominating the Middle East will be a lost cause. Gabbard had a chance during the Senate committee hearing to send a signal that it is indeed a lost cause, full stop. Instead, inexplicably, she fumbled, becoming the latest person in Washington to give Iran a nuclear weapons lifeline. Team Trump must reverse course. As we have warned before, we are past midnight in the Gardens of Armageddon and Israel will not wait forever before it acts to mitigate or destroy Khamenei's nuclear weapons program. Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan E. Sweet served 30 years as an Army intelligence officer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
27-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Bad mistake: Tulsi Gabbard just threw Iran a nuclear lifeline
Tulsi Gabbard should check her 'Iran Nuke' Signal group — if such a thing exists or existed. Why? Because Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to have entered the group chat and has led her astray. Testifying Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, President Trump's director of national intelligence said the intelligence community 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamanei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.' Khamenei is undoubtedly thrilled with this. His regime is in tatters. His so-called 'Axis of Resistance' — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and a host of other militias — has been badly mauled by Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7. attacks. And yet here is Gabbard, throwing a lifeline to Khamenei's nuclear weapons program and doing so in the most public of ways. This is a classic case of ignoring the sum of the parts that do indeed add up to the whole — and in this case, the whole is that Iran is aggressively chasing weaponization of its nuclear program to re-establish strategic deterrence. Gabbard needs to remember that her job is not intelligence gathering. The mission of her office is to lead and support intelligence integration, delivering insights, driving capabilities, and investing in the future. In that sense — and please excuse the cliché — if it walks like a nuclear duck, quacks like a nuclear duck, then it is a nuclear duck. Gabbard is, wittingly or not, failing to process all of the intelligence collected. Consider that Iran is rapidly accelerating its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency now estimates as of February 8, Tehran has amassed '274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent.' Bear in mind that nuclear power plants, hospital experiments, and other common commercial uses of low-enriched uranium only require enrichment levels between 3 percent and 5 percent. The only reason to highly enrich uranium past 5 percent is to begin the process of weaponizing it. To create a mushroom cloud, 90 percent entriched uranium is required. But it also requires a sufficient mass of enriched uranium to sustain a chain reaction that results in a nuclear implosion. Last December, Iran Watch estimated that Khamenei's 'nuclear program has reached the point at which, within about one week, [it] might be able to enrich enough uranium for five fission weapons.' Given Iran's ever-increasing centrifuge capacity — the key manufacturing component of enriching uranium — that volume will only exponentially increase. It is important to emphasize that Iran already has this capability. As Iran Watch noted, Tehran is operating at least '36 cascades of IR-1 centrifuges as well as 30 cascades of more powerful centrifuges (15 IR-2m cascades, 12 IR-4 cascades, and three IR-6 cascades) at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant.' Iran Watch also reported that Khamenei is operating at least 'six cascades of IR-1 centrifuges and two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and nearly a thousand centrifuges at the Natanz pilot plant, notably the IR-4 and IR-6.' Significantly, these are just the known nuclear sites in Iran. In October 2024, Israel during its retaliatory strikes on Iran, destroyed the Taleghan 2 nuclear facility — an undeclared Iranian nuclear facility. Others undoubtedly exist. Israel likely already knows their locations. Iran is effective in hiding its nuclear weapons program. In February, Fox News Digital reported that 'Iran's chief nuclear development agency, the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, has been operating out two locations previously recognized as space development and launch sites.' These include space facilities in Shahrud and Semnan. Gabbard surely knew this before she began testifying. Weaponization not only requires sufficient stockpiles of 90 percent enriched uranium — the equivalent mass of two fifty-pounds bags of dog food is needed for one nuke — but also warheads, ballistic missiles, propulsion fuels and launch pads or vehicles. These are nuclear red flags that Gabbard cannot overlook. Gabbard needs to bring Team Trump's policy approach up to speed vis-à-vis Iran's nuclear weapons program. This notion that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon is nonsense — or it is intentional parsing, in the full knowledge that that is exactly what Khamenei is intent upon doing. Either way, it is deceptive. Iran is pursuing or already building all of the components needed to construct, deliver and launch nuclear weapons. It would be foolish from a national security standpoint to wait until Tehran either tests or launches a nuke before connecting all of these obvious dots. Even the IAEA is sounding the warning bells. Rafael Grossi, its director, warned about Khamenei's intentions in February when he said, 'Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to this level, causing me serious concern.' There are signs that others in the Trump Administration are recognizing the magnitude of this rapidly growing threat. The War Zone reported on Tuesday that 'a significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the [strategically located] Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.' Earlier, on Sunday while appearing on CBS Face The Nation, Mike Waltz, Trump's national security advisor, warned Iran to 'give [its nuclear weapons program] up or there will be consequences.' But Gabbard said they were not building a nuclear weapon. That said, saying 'don't' did not work for the Biden Administration. It won't work for Team Trump, either. In all likelihood, Iran will stand down only if militarily forced to do so. Khamenei is playing a deeper and longer-term game. He and his regime know that unless Iran becomes a nuclear power, its ambitions of dominating the Middle East will be a lost cause. Gabbard had a chance during the Senate committee hearing to send a signal that it is indeed a lost cause, full stop. Instead, inexplicably, she fumbled, becoming the latest person in Washington to give Iran a nuclear weapons lifeline. Team Trump must reverse course. As we have warned before, we are past midnight in the Gardens of Armageddon and Israel will not wait forever before it acts to mitigate or destroy Khamenei's nuclear weapons program.
