Key Iranian heavy water plant offline after IDF strike: IAEA
Teh International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Sunday that Iran’s Khondab heavy water plant, part of the Arak Nuclear Complex, is offline after an Israeli strike. the agency said the facility, which has no declared nuclear material, suffered severe damage adn is no longer operational, a conclusion based on satellite imagery and prior knowledge of the plant. Iran has claimed that the Arak reactor was rendered inoperable in accordance with the 2015 nuclear deal, but concerns persist as heavy water production could enable plutonium production for weapons.Israel described the Khondab site as a key plutonium-production facility Iran had aimed to rebuild following last year’s strikes. Along with the heavy water plant, Israel reportedly struck a uranium extraction plant in Yazd, while Iran is known to hold stockpiles of enriched uranium, with some near weapons-grade levels last summer. The development represents another setback for Tehran’s nuclear program amid ongoing regional tensions and war-related bombardments.
Key Iranian heavy water plant offline after IDF strike: IAEA
The Khondab heavy water plant, which was part of Iran’s nuclear program, is now offline, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on Sunday.
The IAEA said the heavy water plant, which has “no declared” nuclear material, suffered “severe damage” from an Israeli strike on Friday and is “no longer operational.” The nuclear watchdog made that determination based on satellite imagery and previous knowledge of the plant.
Israel bombed the heavy water plant last week, describing it as a “a key plutonium production site for nuclear weapons” that Iran had sought to rebuild after Israel struck it last June during the 12-Day War.
The plant is part of Iran’s Arak Nuclear Complex, which has a heavy water reactor. That reactor was “rendered inoperable” by Iran in accordance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
But concerns remained about the facility, as heavy water continued to be produced. The water, while not able to create a nuclear weapon by itself, can produce plutonium, which has been used to make nuclear weapons.
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The news is a blow to Tehran’s nuclear program, which has been bombed extensively during the war so far.
Besides the heavy water plant, Israel also struck a uranium extraction plant in Yazd, located in central Iran, on Friday. Iran is known to have stockpiles of enriched uranium, some of which was nearly weapons-grade level last summer.
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