Recent reports indicate that some units within Iran’s nuclear program are conducting research without informing policymakers. Former AMAD personnel, now part of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), are conducting high explosive tests and sensitive technical R&D at former AMAD sites Sanjarian and Golab Dareh without their superiors’ approval.
These activities are particularly concerning given Iran’s significant progress in uranium enrichment, which has the potential to shorten breakout timelines for producing weapon-grade uranium to about a week. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified these advancements, and the Institute has assessed their implications.
Senior Iranian officials’ statements about potentially changing Iran’s nuclear doctrine further amplify concerns. The combination of covert activities and rapid advancements in enrichment capabilities suggests a heightened risk of nuclear weapons development.
The SPND, akin to a defense research agency, evolved from the Amad Plan and continues to house many of the personnel and material assets from the original program. The recent unapproved activities by these experts add a new layer of complexity and urgency to the international community’s monitoring efforts.
