According to satellite photos published by the AP news agency, construction on the site began at least in September • Construction comes amid Tehran's tensions with the US
Iran has begun building a sub-tattooed structure at the nuclear site in Purdue, according to satellite footage released this morning (Friday) by the Associated Press.
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The Iranians have not publicly acknowledged the rebuilding of Purdue, the discovery of its nuclear site in 2009 came at a time when the West was in great tension with Tehran, and before signing the 2015 nuclear deal.
The purpose of building the building is unknown, but any construction in Purdue is expected to cause concern among U.S. administration officials, especially in the weeks leading up to President Donald Trump, who stepped up pressure and sanctions on Tehran during his tenure, leaving the White House.
According to satellite imagery, construction on the nuclear site began as early as September.
It can be seen that the construction is taking place in the northwest corner of the facility, which is located near the city of Qom.
In the photos taken on November 4 and December 11, it appears that an excavation base was built at the site for a building with dozens of columns that could be used to support buildings being built in areas experiencing frequent earthquakes.
Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at the James Martin Center for the Study of the Convention on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the Monterey Institute for International Relations, told the Associated Press.
That "any change in this site will be carefully examined as a sign of the direction of Iran's nuclear program."
Iran's envoys to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment on the satellite imagery, as did the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspectors are currently in Iran as part of the nuclear deal.
The new satellite images come on only other satellite images released last week, from which the Iranians appear to be operating an underground nuclear facility near Natanz, a nuclear site where an explosion occurred in July.
Last month it was reported that Tehran began supplying gas to advanced-generation centrifuges recently installed at Natanz.
The construction site being built is located in an underground facility in Purdue, and was built deep inside a mountain to protect it from airstrikes.
It is located next to other buildings in the facility where they are working for the purpose of research and development, one of which is the Iranian National Center for Vacuum Technology, an area considered critical for Tehran’s desire to enrich uranium.
But not only research buildings are in the facility, but also anti-aircraft guns and other fortifications designed to protect the site.
It is the size of a football field, large enough to hold 3,000 centrifuges but small enough to make American officials suspect Iran's real intentions after the site was unveiled in 2009.