Israel Matzav

Iran frantically trying to clean up Parchin nuclear explosion test facility

The Institute for Science and International Security has published another satellite image (below - the one above was from last month) that shows frantic cleanup activities by Iran involving its (apparent) nuclear explosion testing facility at Parchin.

Western diplomats say they believe Iran may be trying to clean the sprawling site of any incriminating evidence before possibly allowing IAEA inspectors to go there.

Iran has dismissed the allegations, but IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano earlier this month said satellite images indicated that buildings were being demolished and soil removed at Parchin, about 20 miles southeast of Tehran.

"I think there is real concern for what the Iranians are doing at Parchin," one Western envoy said on Wednesday.

The think-tank posted a picture from June 7 on its website which "shows what appears to be further sanitization activity" at the site in the Parchin complex where Iran is suspected to have conducted high explosive tests.

"The image shows heavy machinery tracks and earth displacement throughout the site," ISIS, which monitors Iran's nuclear program closely, said.

"There is evidence of earth moving machinery and excavation activity near the second demolished building north of the building suspected to contain the high explosive testing chamber," ISIS said.

The image was taken two weeks ago. Given the cutoff of talks this week, it will be interesting to see whether Iran continues the cleanup.

Labels: IAEA, Iranian nuclear threat, ISIS, nuclear weapons, Parchin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:06 AM