Unusual activities observed at Iran’s nuclear facilities amid threat of war with US, Israel

Both the US and Israel allege that Iran is trying to build nuclear bombs under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme.

Edited by: Tahir Qureshi

Published: January 30, 2026, 6:30 PM IST

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New Delhi: Iran has once again filled the main gate of the underground facility with earth. Fresh soil is also being added to the southern entrance, completely blocking the access route.

Amid fears of a potential US attack, activity has intensified at Iran’s nuclear sites. Satellite images from the past 24 hours show new activity at the nuclear facility in Isfahan, Iran. This is the same nuclear plant that the US attacked last year, causing significant damage.

Iran fills main entrance of underground facility with fresh soil

According to the Institute for Science and International Security, Iran has once again filled the main entrance of the underground facility with earth. Fresh soil is also being added to the southern entrance, completely blocking the access route.

It is believed that Iran is taking this step to protect itself from a potential US attack. According to the report, the aim is to provide additional security to the storage facilities containing approximately 408 kg of enriched uranium.

Security at Isfahan facility being strengthened at multiple levels

Earlier, these entrances at the Isfahan nuclear facility were temporarily opened for engineering work. During that time, the tunnels were reinforced with extremely strong concrete to minimize the impact of any attack, say reports.

Iran is transforming the entire area into a virtual fortress to protect its enriched uranium. The US and Israel have accused Tehran of building a nuclear weapon, a fact that the Persian nation has always denied. The security at the facility is being strengthened at multiple levels.

What do satellite images show

Satellite images also show that work is underway in the above-ground building where centrifuges were previously manufactured. This is becoming a cause for concern for international agencies. For the unversed, a centrifuge is a special machine used to enrich uranium and only highly enriched uranium is used to make nuclear weapons.

June 2025 US-Israeli attacks on Iran

Last June, the US and Israel launched attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear programme. Both countries allege that Iran is trying to build nuclear bombs under the guise of a civilian nuclear program. These attacks damaged nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes and that it is not developing nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the US has long sought a nuclear agreement on its own terms, but negotiations have stalled. Now, Donald Trump is again talking about an unconditional agreement, while Iran has clearly stated that negotiations are not possible amidst threats of attack.