New satellite images show that the Islamic Republic has gone beyond clearing debris at the Minzadehei complex in north-east Tehran, a site Israel described as a secret nuclear-weapons development centre and bombed on 3 March 2026, and has resumed activity at this nuclear site.
According to Iran International, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington, in an assessment published on Tuesday, 6 October, reported unusual vehicle traffic and extensive earthmoving at the complex, and in an update to the assessment on Saturday, 10 October, wrote that a water tank has been repaired and a new small building has been constructed near it.
What the satellite images show
According to a report by the institute's researchers David Albright, Sarah Burkhard and Spencer Faragasso, high-resolution Vantor images from late August to late September show that after the debris was removed and damage on the hillside repaired, cars and trucks have returned inside the site's security perimeter, and vehicles can also be seen in the car park outside the fence.
Earthmoving is continuing in particular on a surface built as a courtyard, in which several blast craters were visible after the March strikes. In the institute's assessment, this section probably sits on top of underground structures.
The Institute for Science and International Security says the Islamic Republic is not merely clearing debris at Minzadehei but resuming the site's normal activities.
Expert assessment and background
The institute wrote that this activity could be a sign of the Islamic Republic's effort to rebuild its capacity to develop nuclear weapons and to make up for what was lost in the attack. According to the institute, based on public reports and statements by the Israeli military, the work carried out at the complex was probably research and development of a nuclear warhead. The institute also stresses that the images do not show what work has resumed inside the buildings, and that Israel's claims about the nature of the site have not been independently confirmed.
The Islamic Republic has consistently denied seeking to build nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has no credible indication of a coordinated weapons programme, but is concerned about the level of enrichment and unresolved past activities.
The release of these images comes as Iran–US negotiations over ending the war have reached a deadlock and JD Vance has made a real reduction in enrichment capacity a condition for ending the war. Earlier, Bloomberg had reported that the Islamic Republic has kept its ability to build missiles and drones despite months of strikes.
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