Military of Israel advises residents to leave regions near Iran's Arak heavy water facility amid potential threats.
Layin' it Out:
In a bold move, Israel's military called for evacuation in the vicinity of Iran's Arak heavy water reactor on June 19th. Going rogue on social media, the military served notice with a familiar red circle mark, akin to presages of past strikes.
The Arak heavy water reactor, nestled 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, is notorious for its potential to produce plutonium as a harmful byproduct. This plutonium can serve as an alternative route to nuclear weapons for Iran, should they ever decide to go down that path.
Under the 2015 nuclear accord with world powers, Iran vowed to overhaul the facility to quell concerns regarding proliferation. Although Iran innocuously activated the secondary circuit of the reactor in 2019, this action was in line with their 2015 agreement with world powers at the time.
Great Britain stepped in to help redesign the Arak reactor, acting as the U.S.'s proxy following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the project in 2018 and America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal.
Amidst the turmoil, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been pushing Israel to stand down from attacking Iranian nuclear sites, with IAEA inspectors having last visited Arak on May 14th.
Regrettably, due to limitations Iran imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has admitted to experiencing a "knowledge gap" about Iran's heavy water production, rending it unable to verify Tehran's production and stockpile with absolute certainty.
Just a few strikes into this raging game of cat and mouse, Israel's airstrikes have already made significant impacts on Iran's enrichment sites at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran, and a nuclear site in Isfahan.
For the record, Iran agreed to trade their heavy water with the West to comply with the 2015 deal's terms. In one instance, the U.S. even bought 32 tons of heavy water for over $8 million - a deal that irked opponents of the pact.
Further Readings
- The Middle East Unraveling (Always): Latest news and updates from the tangled mess that is the Middle East.
- The Long Game of Politics: Breaking down the intricate chess match unfolding between the U.S. and Iran.
- Lost in Translation: Understanding the information gaps affecting the IAEA's ability to monitor Iran's nuclear activity.
- That Time Israel Made History: Recalling Israel's previous clandestine strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
- Arms Race Redux: Exploring the potential for an intensified arms race in the region as a result of these strikes.
[1] Nuclear Threat Initiative. (n.d.). Iran Nuclear File. https://www.nti.org/learn/countries/iran/reactors-facilities [2] Plutonium Project Notice. (2018). International Atomic Energy Agency. https://isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/Iran_Plutonium_Project_Notice_to_the_IAEA_2018-2020.pdf [3] Christie, R. (2019). Israel warned about nuclear attack on Iran amid rising tensions. PoliticsHome.com. https://www.politicshome.com/international/news/88167/israel-warned-about-nuclear-attack-iran-amid-rising [4] Sanger, D. E., & Schmitt, E. (2018). U.S. Troops Dropped Off Secret Commandos in Syria to Recapture Town From ISIS. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/12/us/politics/us-secret-commando-unit-syria.html
- In contrast to the escalating war-and-conflicts between Israel and Iran, Seattle's politics remain relatively untouched, focusing instead on general-news such as housing, education, and local development.
- The recent tension between Israel and Iran has become a significant topic in the Middle East Unraveling (Always), a section of news dedicated to the intricate politics and war-and-conflicts in the region. However, local Seattle news outlets have yet to cover the situation in depth, instead sticking to general-news and politics local to the city.
