Iran rehabilitating damaged nuclear sites, satellite imagery shows - report

Iran appears to be undertaking repairs at nuclear sites that sustained damage from US and Israeli military operations, according to a CNN report citing satellite imagery. The imagery, captured in June and July, reportedly shows restoration efforts at facilities in Parchin and Pickaxe Mountain.

Experts analyzing the satellite photos indicated that temporary coverings placed over impact holes at Parchin have been replaced with mesh coverings, and concrete mixing trucks suggest preparations to seal these holes. At the Pickaxe Mountain facility, construction vehicles were observed, which CNN noted could violate the recently signed US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) requiring Iran to maintain the status quo at its nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump recently declared this MoU to be over.

However, satellite images of Iran's nuclear sites at Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz did not reveal any signs of restoration efforts. The report also noted that imagery of damaged Iranian missile bases and the Tabriz airbase showed repair attempts, including a runway crater being filled with concrete. The US government's recent easing of restrictions on regional satellite imagery has made such photos more accessible to media outlets.