The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that it has identified construction activity at Iran's underground Mount Makosh nuclear facility. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Bloomberg that satellite imagery shows new activity at the site, but the agency remains unable to inspect the tunnel complex. "There are several indications of movement around this construction site, but we have no concrete information about the activity that may be taking place there," Grossi said.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed Thursday evening that the agency has no access to the tunnel complex at Iran's Mount Makosh nuclear facility, despite satellite imagery indicating construction activity at the site. In an interview with Bloomberg reported by The Zioneer at 17:35 Jerusalem, Grossi stated: "There are several indications of movement around this construction site, but we have no concrete information about the activity that may be taking place there."
The Grossi interview follows a day of escalating reports about Mount Makosh. At 05:45 Jerusalem, the Center for Strategic and International Studies published satellite analysis showing a significant construction surge, which President Donald Trump said the US 'may soon attack.' Shortly afterward, the Israel Atomic Energy Commission officially confirmed detecting Iranian activity at the site. The IAEA then issued a confirmation of detection around 17:00 Jerusalem, and by 17:13 Jerusalem, the agency cited 'indications' of activity there. The confirmation of IAEA's lack of access to the tunnels marks a shift from initial reports that focused on activity detection to explicit acknowledgment of inspection limitations.
The Mount Makosh site, located near Natanz and buried deep within granite layers, has been a focus of international concern. As The Zioneer reported Tuesday, the IAEA had announced upcoming tests at Iranian nuclear facilities amid diplomatic friction. US military operations have expanded the target list to include the site, as reported by The Zioneer on July 14, and Iranian officials have expressed fear of a US ground commando raid, per the New York Times report cited by The Zioneer on July 25.
No concrete information is available about the nature of the activity inside the mountain. The IAEA remains barred from inspecting the underground complex, and Grossi's comments underscore the agency's limited visibility into Iran's most fortified nuclear site.
5 developments
- StrongThe Zioneer: Mount Machush — a secret nuclear site inspectors never visited, one of the hardest aerial targets
- StrongSatellite imagery reveals construction activity at Iran's secret underground nuclear facility near Natanz
- DevelopingChannel 14 investigation describes Mount Makosh as Iran's most important nuclear asset
- DevelopingCNN: US military prepared strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including Mount Makosh
Source and signal
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