All tunnel entrances to Iran's Isfahan nuclear complex appear to have been buried, according to satellite images cited by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, which believes Tehran is preparing for a possible attack or invasion by the United States, Israel, or both.
The institute, which has been monitoring Iran's nuclear facilities for years, said satellite images on Sunday showed that two of the tunnel entrances to the Isfahan complex were now completely covered with soil, while the third, northernmost entrance had "additional passive protective measures."
According to the same assessment, there is no longer any vehicle activity at the entrance, which reinforces the assessment that the place is "operationally closed".
The organization assesses that these movements indicate concern on the Iranian side regarding the possibility of an air attack or ground operation, attributing the choice of the embankment to the scenario of an attack or raid by the United States or Israel, or even jointly.
As it is said, "the embankment of the tunnel entrances would help absorb some of the force of a potential air attack and make it difficult for special forces to access from the ground, in a raid, to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be stored inside."
In the same context, the institute estimates that Iran may have transported sensitive materials in the tunnels, trying to protect them.
In its analysis, the Institute for Science and International Security adds that "similar preparations were last seen in the days before the US summer operation, when facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were hit."
It also recalls that before Israel launched its 12-day war with Iran in June, the Islamic Republic had three major nuclear facilities linked to the country's program.
The facility outside Isfahan was primarily known for producing uranium gas, which is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified. Last month, satellite images showed roofs being built in Isfahan, with the Institute for Science and International Security assessing that this appeared to be part of an operation “to recover what remains – assets or debris – without knowing exactly what is being removed from the site.”
At the same time, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that Iran negotiate a deal on its nuclear program in order to prevent US military strikes, which he has threatened in the context of the country's crackdown on protesters.
