The National Council of Resistance of Iran-U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US) held a press conference on January 31, unveiling new intelligence that Tehran is actively advancing its nuclear warhead development program. The revelations, based on intelligence from the Defense and Strategic Research Committee of the NCRI and reports from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) network inside Iran, indicate that the Iranian regime is pursuing nuclear weapons in violation of international agreements.
Shahrud: A Key Site for Nuclear Warhead Development
The intelligence outlines how the Iranian regime is focusing on the development of nuclear warheads for solid-fuel missiles at the Shahrud missile site. This effort is spearheaded by the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND), which oversees Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Key details about the Shahrud site:
- It is a highly restricted military zone under the control of the IRGC Aerospace Force.
- Civilian access is strictly prohibited, and unauthorized personnel are arrested on sight.
- It includes a missile testing site and launchpad disguised as a space program facility.
- The primary missile designed for carrying nuclear warheads is the Ghaem-100, a solid-fuel, mobile missile based on a North Korean design.
- The site is also developing an independent satellite communication system to track nuclear warheads.
Key Figures and Institutions Behind the Project
Several key officials and entities play a role in the nuclear warhead program:
- Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam: The late IRGC Brigadier General who initiated the Ghaem missile project before his death in 2011.
- Brigadier General Ali Jafarabadi: Successor to Moghaddam, currently leading the Ghaem-100 project.
- Salman Farsi Space Command: A division of the IRGC Aerospace Force that supervises the nuclear-related activities at Shahrud.
Expansion of Nuclear Activities at Semnan Facility
The intelligence also exposes nuclear weapons-related activities at Iran’s Semnan facility, which operates under the SPND umbrella:
- The site is ostensibly used for satellite launches but is heavily fortified and largely underground.
- It has expanded from two facilities in 2005 to eight in recent years, all interconnected via underground tunnels.
- The Simorgh missile, modeled after a North Korean design, is tested here under the pretense of a space program.
- SPND’s Geophysics Group conducts high-explosive detonation tests, a key component of nuclear weapons development.
Key personnel involved in Semnan’s nuclear expansion:
- Mohammad Javad Zaker
- Hamed Aber
- Farhad Moradiani Khosrowabad
To conceal these activities, Iran collaborates with institutions such as the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology and various university geophysics departments.
SPND Expansion at Sorkhe Hesar
NCRI-US also detailed increased SPND activities at the Sorkhe Hesar site near Tehran, which was first revealed in 2020. Since then, operations have expanded significantly.
Iran’s Strategy to Deceive and Delay
A confidential internal memo obtained by NCRI-US reveals Tehran’s strategy to prolong nuclear negotiations while continuing its nuclear development. The Iranian regime is deliberately stalling talks with European nations and engaging in indirect discussions with the U.S. to maintain the status quo until the sunset clause in UN Security Resolution 2231 expires, lifting key restrictions.
NCRI-US Representative Soona Samsami warned that Iran has a history of using diplomatic negotiations as a cover to advance its nuclear weapons program. She cited former regime President Hassan Rouhani’s 2006 admission that Iran deceived European negotiators and former Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Salehi’s 2019 remarks about misleading the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Recommendations for the International Community
Given these findings, NCRI-US urged the global community to take immediate action:
- Reinstate UN Security Council resolutions against Iran through the snapback mechanism.
- Shut down all nuclear-related sites and grant the IAEA unrestricted access.
- Impose severe consequences for violations, as previous diplomatic engagements have emboldened Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
During the Q&A session, NCRI-US Deputy Director Alireza Jafarzadeh reiterated the urgency of confronting Tehran’s nuclear program before it reaches an irreversible stage. The briefing concluded with calls for decisive international action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
