JOIN USA US security institute says commercial satellite imagery shows new activity at an Iranian military site which raises concern that the Islamic state may be “washing” a building the United Nations’ nuclear agency wants to inspect.
The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suspects nuclear weapons-related research may have taken place at the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran.
Iran has dismissed the allegations but has yet to allow the agency to visit the facility, despite repeated requests.
The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington-based think-tank specialising on nuclear proliferation, said it had acquired commercial satellite imagery from April 9 which back up the IAEA’s concern.
“The new activity seen in the satellite image occurred outside a building suspected to contain an explosive chamber used to carry out nuclear weapons related experiments,” it said on its website in a May 8 report including the satellite image.
Iran’s mission to the IAEA was not immediately available for comment. It has previously dismissed allegations aired about Parchin as “childish” and “ridiculous”.
The images showed items lined up outside a building and what appeared to be a stream of water, ISIS said. “The items visible outside the building could be associated with the removal of equipment from the building or with cleansing it,” it said.