Satellite imagery reveals removal and dispersal of critical cooling units, widespread infrastructure damage, and long-term operational setbacks for Iran’s flagship nuclear facility.
The recent developments at the Natanz uranium enrichment site provide a rare glimpse into the facility’s operational status following the June 2025 war with Israel, according to a publication by the Institute for Science and International Security.
Updated satellite images show that Iran has removed and dispersed 23 of the 24 industrial coolers that served two above-ground HVAC structures supporting the underground enrichment plant.
The dispersal was not carried out outside the compound but across the site itself—on helicopter pads, near a water treatment facility, and in other locations—suggesting a dual rationale: on the one hand, recognition of the vulnerability of above-ground services as easy targets; on the other hand, no immediate operational need for them.
