Israel last month reportedly conducted a covert operation targeting and razing nuclear facilities in Iran. Among these was the Taleghan 2 site close to Tehran. This facility, which was housed within the Parchin military complex, reportedly sustained heavy damage following the Israeli airstrikes last October 25. Insiders said the building tumbled, meaning crippling Iran’s advanced research capabilities.
For years, Taleghan 2 was suspected of developing secret nuclear ambitions for Iran. Officially mothballed in 2003, there had long been rumors of resumed activity. U.S. and Israeli officials said Iran has recently resumed work on metallurgy, modeling, and explosives — all critical to making a nuclear weapon. “This scientific work could pave the way for a nuclear weapon,” a U.S. official said.
Nuclear facilities in Iran were destroyed by Israel last month, Khamenei’s country continues its swift actions despite
The news breaks as US warnings in June about suspicious research privately given to Iran broke. Iran nonetheless continued to carry on with the activities, bringing on international concern over the matter. As a result, Israel made its most prominent step in its campaign to derail Tehran’s nuclear program by destroying nuclear facilities in Iran.
This raid also marks a shift in U.S. intelligence. Just this spring, the Director of National Intelligence changed its estimate: no longer does it conclude that Iran has stopped all nuclear weapons development work. This determination heightened the level of alert among both Israeli and U.S. leaders and led to this decisive strike.
Iran has not commented on the destruction at Taleghan 2: the facility is not part of Iran’s declared nuclear program. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister reaffirmed Teheran’s interest in further negotiations with the IAEA while spurning external pressure during the last rounds of talks with the IAEA. However, the seriousness of the assault suggests the razing of Israel of nuclear facilities in the country as a means of achieving clandestine nuclear advancement.
This is against a backdrop of evolving geopolitical dynamics, but speculations of new U.S. positions likely to be more hawkish are bound to create uncertainty. As tensions escalate, so does the explanation of the pre-emptive acts carried out by Israel to make sure Iran cannot progress its nuclear ambitions.
Also, see: Gold Prices Drop to Lowest: Should You Invest in Gold in India Now?