A top-secret nuclear weapons research facility in Iran's Parchin area has been destroyed by an Israeli military strike, according to a report by US media outlet Axios. The attack was carried out at the end of last October. This was confirmed by three US officials, one Israeli official and one former Israeli official.
Israeli and US officials said the attack dealt a major blow to Iran's nuclear weapons research efforts over the past year. The former Israeli official said the attack destroyed equipment needed to make plastic explosives used in nuclear weapons. These explosives play an important role in activating nuclear weapons.
Iran claims it is not developing nuclear weapons. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said, 'Iran has never been working towards the goal of developing nuclear weapons.' Iran's mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the matter.
Sources told Axios on condition of anonymity that one of the targets of the Israeli strike was an installation called Telegan-2 in the Parchin military complex. It is located about 20 miles southeast of Tehran.
The facility was once part of Iran's Amad nuclear weapons program. It was put on hold after Iran shut down its military nuclear program in 2003. But recently the explosive testing program started here again. After the Israeli attack, satellite images showed that Telegan-2 was completely destroyed.
U.S. and Israeli officials have said the recent activities at Telegan-2 were part of covert research to develop nuclear weapons. This research is primarily intended for civilian purposes. A US official said, 'They have done scientific research that can serve as the basis for making nuclear weapons. It was a highly confidential project. Only a few people in the Iranian government knew about it.'
Earlier this year, US and Israeli intelligence identified research activities at Parchin. Israeli officials also claimed that it included activities such as computer modeling, metallurgy and explosives research. Last June, the White House warned Iran to stop these research activities. But Iran continues the research, officials said.
The study also changes US intelligence agencies' assessment of Iran's nuclear program. In August, a report said Iran had begun the basic research needed to develop nuclear weapons.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden urged Israel not to directly target Iran's nuclear facilities. There was a threat of war in the entire Middle East region. However, Telegan-2 is not part of Iran's declared nuclear program. Therefore, Iran is not able to publicly acknowledge the importance of this attack.
The governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will meet next week to discuss the situation. A censure resolution is likely to be brought against Iran due to its lack of cooperation. Iran has threatened to further reduce cooperation. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi visited Iran. Iran has expressed its willingness to negotiate with the three European countries, but has refused to negotiate under pressure.
