Newly obtained satellite imagery indicates that Iran has begun rebuilding its damaged nuclear infrastructure, suggesting Tehran may have violated a recent peace framework with the US even before the agreement formally collapsed, CNN reports.
Satellite photos from multiple locations across the country show clear signs of reconstruction at key Iranian nuclear facilities.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The imagery specifically highlights renewed activity at the Parchin military complex near Tehran – a site that was struck multiple times during the recent US military campaign – as well as at a facility known as “Mount Pickaxe.”
The observed reconstruction strongly suggests that Iran breached the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the US three weeks ago. Under the terms of that framework, which aimed to convert a months-long ceasefire into a durable peace, Iran explicitly committed to not attempting to acquire or develop nuclear weapons.
The timeline of the satellite imagery indicates that these reconstruction efforts began before US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire “over” and resumed retaliatory military strikes.
A Saturday ultimatum in the Strait of Hormuz
The revelations regarding Iran’s nuclear infrastructure arrive on a volatile day for US-Iran relations, coinciding with a strict deadline imposed by the Trump administration regarding maritime security.
According to US officials, the administration has demanded that Iran issue a public statement by Saturday committing to halt all attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The US asserts that Iran repeatedly violated the recent MoU by targeting commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.
Trump Ally Graham Says New Sanctions and Ukrainian Firepower Could End Russia’s War
The immediate deadline centers around a scheduled Saturday meeting in Muscat between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.
“We want them to state publicly that they will stop shooting at ships and to explicitly, or at least implicitly, acknowledge that they messed up,” one US official stated. “We expect the Iranians to say... that all channels in the strait will be open and that passage through them will be free.”
Washington has warned of “severe consequences” if Tehran fails to issue the concrete public assurance immediately following the talks in Oman. While Iranian representatives have expressed a desire to resolve the maritime dispute, hardline elements within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have continued to demand that Tehran retain control over the Strait.
Nuclear doubts and assassination plots
Prior to the CNN report on the satellite imagery, US officials had indicated that backdoor negotiations were making progress toward a broader nuclear agreement.
However, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz had already raised serious doubts in Washington about Iran’s willingness to abide by any treaty, prompting the administration to actively develop contingency plans. The visual evidence of nuclear reconstruction is likely to further undermine any remaining diplomatic trust.
Adding to the explosive diplomatic atmosphere, Israel recently shared intelligence with the US regarding a specific, new Iranian plot to assassinate Trump.
While US intelligence agencies had been monitoring general discussions about potential assassination attempts, the Israeli intelligence reportedly detailed a specific operational plot.
Some US officials have cautioned that the intelligence report might be part of a broader Israeli effort to influence President Trump’s decision on whether to escalate military action against Iran in the wake of the Hormuz and nuclear crises.
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
