The international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on saturday that no damage was observed at Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant or the under-construction Khondab heavy water reactor, in a significant revelation that calls into question the effectiveness and true impact of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
IAEA refutes Israel's claim
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have used missile attacks to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant the day before the IAEA made its announcement. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that israel has crippled Tehran's nuclear program is seriously called into question given that israel has failed to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, one of Iran's most secure nuclear sites.
The IAEA added that no additional damage had been seen at the Natanz, another Iranian nuclear facility that israel had bombed on Friday. "As in Natanz, no increase in off-site radiation expected," the UN nuclear watchdog wrote on X.
The UN agency added that Isfahan, which was also hit by Israeli airstrikes, showed no change in off-site radiation levels, according to information from Iran's Nuclear Regulatory Authority. It further stated that the Israeli attack had destroyed four vital structures at the nuclear station in Isfahan, including a fuel plate manufacturing unit and a uranium conversion facility.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for Tehran's Atomic Energy Organization, told Iran's semi-official news agency, ISNA, that a large amount of important nuclear materials and equipment had already been taken out of the Fordow plant, which is northeast of Qom.
Why is it difficult to damage the Fordow nuclear plant?
Built deep under a mountain and encircled by towering peaks on all sides, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a hardened, extremely secure nuclear facility. Even the most sophisticated cruise missiles are rendered useless by the steep terrain, and the site is guarded by numerous air defense systems grouped in a compact area, making it nearly difficult for any drone or missile to pass through.
To destroy a location like Fordow, analysts say israel would need something comparable to the US-made Massive Ordnance air Blast (MOAB), often known as the "Mother of All Bombs."
IAEA refutes Israel's claim
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have used missile attacks to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant the day before the IAEA made its announcement. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that israel has crippled Tehran's nuclear program is seriously called into question given that israel has failed to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, one of Iran's most secure nuclear sites.
The IAEA added that no additional damage had been seen at the Natanz, another Iranian nuclear facility that israel had bombed on Friday. "As in Natanz, no increase in off-site radiation expected," the UN nuclear watchdog wrote on X.
The UN agency added that Isfahan, which was also hit by Israeli airstrikes, showed no change in off-site radiation levels, according to information from Iran's Nuclear Regulatory Authority. It further stated that the Israeli attack had destroyed four vital structures at the nuclear station in Isfahan, including a fuel plate manufacturing unit and a uranium conversion facility.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for Tehran's Atomic Energy Organization, told Iran's semi-official news agency, ISNA, that a large amount of important nuclear materials and equipment had already been taken out of the Fordow plant, which is northeast of Qom.
Why is it difficult to damage the Fordow nuclear plant?
Built deep under a mountain and encircled by towering peaks on all sides, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a hardened, extremely secure nuclear facility. Even the most sophisticated cruise missiles are rendered useless by the steep terrain, and the site is guarded by numerous air defense systems grouped in a compact area, making it nearly difficult for any drone or missile to pass through.
To destroy a location like Fordow, analysts say israel would need something comparable to the US-made Massive Ordnance air Blast (MOAB), often known as the "Mother of All Bombs."
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