Inside Iran’s Nuclear Network: All About Natanz, Fordow And Isfahan Facilities Hit By US Strikes

Last Updated:June 22, 2025, 09:21 IST

These sites represent the core of Iran’s nuclear program, each playing a distinct role in advancing capabilities that the international community views with increasing concern. 

An image provided by Maxar Technologies, and taken on February 12, 2025, shows an overview of the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, south of the capital Tehran. (AFP)

Following the recent US airstrikes that targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, attention has turned to the three key facilities at the heart of Iran’s uranium enrichment and nuclear research efforts — Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. These sites represent the core of Iran’s nuclear program, each playing a distinct role in advancing capabilities that the international community views with increasing concern.

Fordow: A Deeply Buried, Highly Fortified Enrichment Site

Tucked beneath the mountains near the holy city of Qom, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is one of the most fortified and secretive nuclear facilities in Iran. Much of its infrastructure lies deep underground, offering a high degree of protection from conventional airstrikes. CNN, citing Israeli intelligence documents, reports that the plant’s main halls are estimated to be 80 to 90 meters (262 to 295 feet) underground.

Due to its depth and fortification, only the US military is believed to possess the capability to strike the site effectively, likely with its Massive Ordnance Penetrators delivered by B-2 bombers.

Recent IAEA reports indicate that Iran has ramped up uranium enrichment at Fordow to 60%, and the facility now houses approximately 2,700 centrifuges, intensifying global concerns about the site’s purpose and activity.

Natanz: Iran’s Most Crucial Uranium Enrichment Facility

Located approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Tehran, Natanz is considered Iran’s most significant uranium enrichment site. Analysts quoted by CNN say the facility is primarily used to develop and assemble centrifuges, which are essential for enriching uranium—a process that can be used for both civilian nuclear energy and, at higher purities, weapons development.

The Natanz complex comprises multiple overground and underground structures, including six surface buildings and three underground halls. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), two of these underground structures are capable of housing up to 50,000 centrifuges. This vast capacity makes it a central hub in Iran’s enrichment operations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% purity at the site’s above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant—just shy of the 90% required for weapons-grade material.

Isfahan: The Heart of Iran’s Nuclear Research Operations

Located in central Iran, the Isfahan nuclear facility is widely considered the largest and most advanced research center within the country’s nuclear program. Established in 1984 with assistance from China, the complex is reported to employ around 3,000 scientists and plays a central role in supporting both the technical and scientific foundation of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) describes Isfahan as a multifunctional hub that houses three Chinese-supplied research reactors, a uranium conversion facility, a fuel production plant, a zirconium cladding plant, and a wide array of laboratories and auxiliary infrastructure. Its comprehensive capabilities make it not only a vital component of Iran’s nuclear development but also a site of strategic concern for the international community, given its potential for both civilian and military nuclear applications.

Abhro Banerjee

Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ...Read More

Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ...

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