 "US President Donald Trump addresses the nation regarding the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites as seen on a television screen in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC. Source: AFP")
The US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday (June 22), in a major blow to the Shi’ite nation’s nuclear programme.
Trump announced the strikes on three Iranian enrichment facilities — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — and said that a “full payload of BOMBS was dropped” on Fordo.
“All planes are safely on their way home,” Trump added in his post. “Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”
Here’s what we know about the three targeted nuclear sites.
Natanz
This nuclear complex is located 250 kilometres (150 miles) south of the capital Tehran and is considered Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility.
Experts state that the Natanz facility is used for developing and assembling centrifuges for uranium enrichment, a critical process for producing nuclear fuel.
According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Natanz comprises six above-ground buildings and three underground structures, two of which can accommodate 50,000 centrifuges.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that Iran was enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity at its above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. Weapons-grade uranium requires 90 per cent enrichment.
Fordow
The site still remains mysterious as much information is not available in public domain. It’s known to be located close to the holy city of Qom and buried deep in a group of mountains.
The main halls at Fordow are estimated to be 80 to 90 meters (approximately 262 to 295 feet) underground.
Israeli officials and independent reports have previously stated that only the US possesses bombs capable of penetrating such depths.
Impact Shorts
View AllRecent IAEA reports indicate that Iran has increased production of 60 per cent-enriched uranium at Fordow. Experts and the IAEA confirm the facility now houses 2,700 centrifuges.
Isfahan
This is Iran’s largest nuclear research complex.
The Isfahan facility, constructed with Chinese assistance and operational since 1984, employs 3,000 scientists, per the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). NTI notes it is “suspected of being the center” of Iran’s nuclear program.
It “operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors,” as well as a “conversion facility, a fuel production plant, a zirconium cladding plant, and other facilities and laboratories,” the NTI says.