Iran Seen Building New Underground Nuke Facility

Iran has begun construction on a new facility at its Natanz nuclear site, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Satellite photos of the area released on Wednesday show that roads to the site are being improved. Construction equipment appears to be on the scene, and digging has begun for what is likely to be a new underground facility. The United Nation’s atomic watchdog agency says it is very aware of the new site, reporting that Iran had previously informed IAEA inspectors that it was planning to build a new underground advanced centrifuge assembly plant following an explosion at a centrifuge plant earlier this year. The agency also noted that its inspectors continue to have access to Iran’s nuclear facilities. Last month, the head of Iran’s nuclear oversight agency told state television that the destroyed above-ground facility would be replaced by a new facility “in the heart of the mountains around Natanz.” The United States and Iran are currently locked in a diplomatic struggle regarding the status and future of the Islamic Republic’s atomic program, both civilian and military.