Iran is constructing a new security perimeter around two underground tunnel complexes near its Natanz nuclear site, according to a report by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) released Wednesday.
The sites, buried beneath Mount Kolang Gaz La, have not been accessed by international inspectors.
"The creation of a security perimeter around deeply buried sites associated with uranium enrichment suggests that Iran is increasingly worried about an individual or group seeking to enter the tunnel complexes undetected," the report wrote. "Whether this type of protective barrier would be effective against a well-armed and resourced adversary is unclear."
The report, based on satellite imagery from March, shows wall panels and road grading forming a perimeter that connects with the Natanz facility. One of the complexes is new and deeply buried, likely intended to replace a centrifuge assembly plant destroyed at Natanz in 2020. The other dates back to 2007 and appears to be undergoing upgrades.
David Albright, the institute's president, said the new perimeter suggested that the tunnel complexes, under construction beneath Mt. Kolang Gaz La for several years, could become operational relatively soon.
The complexes could be used to store Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium or undeclared nuclear materials, and advanced centrifuges that could quickly purify enough uranium for a bomb, Albright was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The ongoing construction appears to underscore Tehran’s rejection of demands that nuclear talks with the US lead to the full dismantlement of its program, Reuters reported. Iran has maintained it has the right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Israel has not ruled out military action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists any deal must result in the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
