Exposed: The Forbidden Nuclear heart of Iran – Fordo, Unveiled from Above
Aerial view reveals the covert appearance of the clandestine nuclear locale in Fordo.
You might question the developments in Iran, but here's a peek at the forbidden heart of their nuclear program – the enigmatic Fordo. Hidden in a desolate mountain range south of Tehran, thisicking nuclear facility stands as the Mullah regime's suspected harsh zone of atomic bomb construction. What can satellites reveal?
Israel has been bombing Iran's military and nuclear sites since June 13, with the highly fortified facilities in Fordo, around 90 kilometers south of Tehran, catching global attention. Western intelligence suspects that the epicenter of Iran's nuclear program is buried deep below the earth, camouflaged and protected by a labyrinthine network of tunnels beneath the mountain.
Warning: High-resolution satellite images ahead!
Shrouded in desolation, the plateau overlooking the city of Ghom reveals an unusual, ominous sight: A sprawling underground facility, meticulously built over the years, nestled at an elevation of about 900 meters above sea level. The area around it appears eerily inhospitable – a mountain wilderness far from any human habitation.
Politics: The Ominous Depths: Fort Knox for Nuke SecretsThe entire facility is encircled by multiple security rings, with a solitary access road approaching the area from the northwest. Approaching vehicles are met with several guarded checkpoints. The site itself is surrounded by air defense positions, trenches, watchtowers, fences, and multiple staggered security rings.
The extensive security measures hint at secretive intentions. The image section in the satellite photo above depicts a roughly 3.5-kilometer-wide area. Here, the innermost security area of the Fordo uranium enrichment facility presents itself, with its six tunnel entrances. Two of these entrances are positioned near the striking white building to the west. Another tunnel entrance leads towards the northeast about 500 meters away. The site's sixth access to the deep subterranean bunkers located at the eastern edge of the innermost security ring.
The white-roofed building is unmistakable, measuring about 140 meters in length and 40 meters in width. A well-developed access road reaches the entrance from the northeast. The Iranians are prepared for 24/7 operations: Even the individual lights on the illuminated access road can be seen on the satellite image. Another fence surrounds the white building.
Identical protective fences encircle the tunnel entrances located further northeast, as well as the two individual accesses in the north and east. The Iranians could be anticipating attacks by sabotage units within the facility, as they have taken precautions to obstruct any infiltrators.
Politics: The Underground Fort Invulnerable to Bombings?Deep beneath the mountain, hidden within the facility, lies a labyrinth of shafts, galleries, and bunkers. We know from previous visits by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the Tehran regime has buried an entire uranium enrichment factory down there. Additional access points may be concealed in deeper, better-protected areas.
At Fordo, it is estimated that around 2,000 centrifuges were once operational in the facility. The underground plant, shielded from air attacks, produced most of the uranium enriched up to 60%, according to IAEA calculations. Experts believe that an amount sufficient for approximately four nuclear bombs could be derived from such a quantity if further enriched. The pilot plant in Natans, on the other hand, produced only 19.2 kilograms.
Politics: Netanyahu's Military Gamble – Capable of Striking DeepLess than a week after the onset of Operation "Rising Lion," Israeli fighter jets targeted the Iranian heavy water reactor in Arak, striking the reactor with precision bombs. Visible signs of impact were left on the reactor's concrete shell, as can be seen from high-resolution satellite images taken shortly after the bombing.
The air attack targeted both the reactor and production facilities for heavy water in Arak. Several heavy impacts were evident on the grounds of the nuclear facilities in Arak based on video footage from the Israeli military.
Iranian authorities changed the name of the nuclear power plant to the next largest city in 2017, previously known by the name of the facility itself. The nuclear power plant itself was never put into operation: In international nuclear dispute agreements, the Tehran regime agreed to halt work on the reactor.
Fordo: Israel's Inscrutable Target
Satellite imagery shows the Fordo nuclear facility – deeply buried, forbid, and challenging to strike directly. Surface structures and access roads circling the mountain can be seen from space, but the underground complex itself remains largely hidden and resilient against Israeli airstrikes.
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Enrichment Data:
The Fordow nuclear facility in Iran is a deep, fortified uranium enrichment site located within a mountain near Qom. Satellite images reveal multiple critical details about the facility and its importance in Iran's nuclear program:
Details Visible on Satellite Images:
- The facility is largely underground, carved deep into a mountain, making direct strikes challenging. Surface structures and roads encircling the mountain are visible from space, including a road along the mountain edge and various above-ground buildings surrounding the site[2][4].
- Satellite imagery from months past shows signs of damage at the site, like the collapse of a retaining wall on the mountain side near the road. Yet, no extensive visible damage inside the underground complex has been detected[2].
- The site contains around 2,000 centrifuges, the majority of which are advanced IR-6 models. Approximately 350 centrifuges at Fordow are enriching uranium up to 60% purity, which is notably above civilian nuclear power needs and closer to weapons-grade levels[4]
- Despite Israeli airstrikes on other Iranian nuclear sites like Natanz and Isfahan, Fordow remains relatively intact underground. Satellite imagery indicates that Israeli forces may have avoided or struggled to cause significant damage inside the mountain facility so far[3][5]
Significance in Iran's Nuclear Program:
- Fordow represents a cornerstone of Iran's uranium enrichment efforts and is considered one of the most secure and strategically important nuclear sites. Its subterranean location and heavy fortifications make it especially difficult to neutralize militarily[1][5].
- The 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) expressly forbade uranium enrichment at Fordow, but Iran resumed and expanded enrichment activities there in violation of the agreement[4].
- Enrichment up to 60% uranium-235 at Fordow is a critical step towards weapons-grade material, drawing international concern that Iran may be moving closer to potential nuclear weapons capability despite its denials of such intentions[1][4].
- The facility's robust defenses and hidden location make it Israel's greatest challenge in its campaign to degrade Iran's nuclear program. Israeli officials acknowledged the complexity in striking it, relying on intelligence and aerial surveillance to monitor its activities[4][5].
Community policy: Engaging the public in discussions about the ongoing international tensions concerning Iran's nuclear program, sharing satellite imagery and data visualizations as educational tools for better understanding the complexities of the situation.
General news: Unveiling the deep underground infrastructure of the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran, providing a glimpse into the equipment, such as around 2,000 centrifuges, including advanced IR-6 models, and the possible enrichment of uranium up to 60% purity, a crucial step closer to weapons-grade material, raising global concerns about Iran's intentions.
Science and space-and-astronomy: Utilizing satellite technology to monitor and study the Fordo nuclear facility, analyzing the site's layout and construction details, such as multiple security rings, access roads, tunnels, and bunkers, as well as assessing any previous damage caused by Israeli airstrikes.
War-and-conflicts: Examining the strategic importance of the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran's nuclear program, its deep subterranean location, and heavy fortifications making it one of the most secure and strategically important nuclear sites, and a significant challenge for military forces aiming to neutralize it.
Politics: Investigating the political implications of Iran's expansion of uranium enrichment activities at Fordow, which violates the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), and the potential consequences for international relations as Iran moves closer to potential nuclear weapons capability, despite denying such intentions.
