Exposed Below Ground: The Secret of Iran's Fordo Nuclear Facility
Aerial view of the covert nuclear plant in Fordo reveals its structure.
Nestled in a barren mountain region south of Tehran, an underground network of sinister tunnel entrances conceals a highly classified Iranian nuclear project. investigation reveals that the regime might be secretly constructing nuclear weapons at the Fordo facility. Take a peek at the hidden secrets buried beneath the earth.
Israel has been conducting air raids on Iranian military and atomic sites since June 13th, including uranium enrichment facilities. Especially the Fordo facilities, approximately 90 kilometers south of Tehran, are under spotlight. Western intelligence suspects that the core of Iran's atomic program is encased and safeguarded within the labyrinth of tunnels underneath the earth.
Visible Secrets: High-Resolution Images Reveal
South of the city of Ghom, dark hills rise from the parched plains. At an elevation of around 900 meters above sea level, an extensive underground facility has been built in recent years, under surveillance not only by Israel. Several indicators imply military purposes: The construction site is isolated from all population centers in a desolate, uninhabited region.
Deep into the Mountain: This is the heart of Iran's atomic progress The entire facility is enclosed by several layers of security rings, with only one access road leading to Fordo from the northwest. Every vehicle approaching the vicinity must pass through multiple guarded security checkpoints. The site itself is encircled by air defense positions, trenches, watchtowers, fences, and multiple air-tight security rings.
The extraordinary security measures insinuate hidden intentions. The satellite image above portrays an area approximately 3.5 kilometers wide. The highly protected inner security area of the uranium enrichment facility Fordo with its six tunnel entrances can be seen. Two of these entrances are strategically located near the prominent white building in the west of the area. Another tunnel entrance is approximately 500 meters from there, toward the northeast. A sixth tunnel entrance to the deep underground bunkers of Fordo is situated at the eastern edge of the inner security ring.
The building with the white roof is approximately 140 meters long and 40 meters wide. A well-developed and evidently frequently used access road connects the entrance from the northeast. The Iranians are prepared for constant operations: Even the individual streetlights of the illuminated access road can be seen on the satellite image. Another fence encloses the white building.
Identical protective fences encompass the tunnel entrances located further northeast, as well as the two individual accesses in the north and east. Possible explanation: Despite all precautions, the Iranians fear infiltration by sabotage units and have taken preventative measures to detain agents inside the facility.
Uranium Enrichment Capacity of Fordo It is estimated that around 2000 centrifuges were operational at the last count. Experts suggest that this facility, protected from air attacks, produces the majority of the uranium enriched up to 60 percent by Iran. In the last quarter, this amounted to 166.6 kilograms, according to IAEA calculations. It's thought that this weight, if further enriched, could be sufficient for almost four nuclear bombs.
Netanyahu: "We Have the Ability to Act"
Less than a week after the start of Operation "Rising Lion," Israeli fighter jets also targeted the Iranian heavy water reactor in Chondab, Arak. Israeli fighter jets dropped precision bombs over the reactor, causing significant damage to the reactor's concrete dome. The air attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities at the Chondab site left heavy damage to the reactor's protective shell.
The heavy water reactor in Chondab, known previously by the name of the adjacent city, Arak, but renamed by Iranian authorities in 2017, never went into operation. In international agreements to resolve the nuclear dispute, the regime in Tehran agreed to halt work on the reactor. The attack left facilities for the production of heavy water working.
The underground location of the Fordo facility, coupled with its security measures, makes it one of Iran's most protected nuclear sites. Due to its fortified underground position, it has been able to survive prior attacks or sabotage attempts relatively unscathed[1]. Iran's Fordo facility is believed to house over 1,000 centrifuges, including advanced IR-6 centrifuges that Iran reportedly installed starting in 2019[1]. These IR-6 machines carry the capability to enrich uranium to higher purity levels in a shorter span than older models. In early 2023, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections confirmed the presence of uranium particles enriched up to 84% at Fordo, indicating that Iran is experimenting with near-weapons-grade uranium enrichment at this facility[1].
The community policy should address the implications of the ongoing tensions and potential conflicts related to the Iranian nuclear program, specifically the secretive construction at the Fordo facility. This policy should consider the exacerbating factors such as war-and-conflicts and politics.
The employment policy should prioritize the acquisition of experts in the field of science, particularly those specialized in medical-conditions and nuclear physics, to maintain a competitive intelligence edge in monitoring and countering the Iranian nuclear progress. The emphasis should be on the enrichment facilities like Fordo and other undisclosed sites.
The general news media should focus on unearthing the hidden secrets buried beneath the earth, particularly the Fordo facility, by obtaining and disseminating high-resolution images that reveal the extent of its uranium enrichment capacity. Arranging expert interviews and discussions about the potential threat posed by advanced centrifuges like the IR-6 and near-weapons-grade uranium enrichment at Fordo can also contribute to public awareness and political pressure.
