Iran boosts security around nuclear sites, satellite images reveal

Shafaq News/ Iran has ramped up security around two massive underground tunnel complexes linked to its core nuclear facilities, according to a new report by the Institute for Science and International Security, based on fresh satellite imagery.

The head of the institute, David Albright, warned that Iran’s newly reinforced security perimeter points to the imminent activation of two vast tunnel networks buried beneath Kolang Gaz mountain projects that have been quietly advancing for years.

Albright stressed that Iran’s refusal to grant access to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors has only intensified fears. The hidden complexes, he cautioned, may serve as vaults for highly enriched uranium, undeclared nuclear materials, or advanced centrifuges capable of rapidly fueling a nuclear weapon.

“These sites are being dug far deeper than Fordow, the existing underground enrichment facility near the holy city of Qom,” Albright said.

Satellite images captured in March exposed fortified tunnel entrances, towering barrier walls along a snaking mountain path, and ongoing excavation to install more defenses. The northern edge of the complex, the report noted, ties directly into the security cordon around Iran’s critical Natanz nuclear site.

The revelations surfaced at a delicate moment, as the US and Iran prepare for a third round of negotiations over a possible nuclear agreement. US President Donald Trump, who famously pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal—has threatened military action if progress isn’t made swiftly.

Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Islami, has hinted at “precautionary measures,” including the newly built perimeter, signaling growing anxiety over the vulnerability of the country’s nuclear assets.