Recent satellite imagery shows that the construction of a concrete sarcophagus around the newly built facility at Taleghan 2 at the Parchin military site has progressed over the last month, to a point where the facility itself is now unrecognizable, another indication of the strategic importance of the facility to the Iranian regime.  A previous imagery update issued by the Institute in early January 2026 showed that by December 25, 2025, the main long, metal, arch-roofed building, which houses a cylindrical chamber resembling a high explosive test chamber, was being covered with concrete (see Figure 1).^[1]  By mid-January, the majority of the facility had been covered by concrete; the main building and also its two adjacent entrance portals (see Figure 2).  A new building/structure is currently under construction spanning the width of the entrance area that might serve as an additional passive defense feature, providing sheltered access to the entrance portals, as well as protected space for utilities and support functions.

The entire area around the newly built facility is enclosed by a high security wall in an effort to visually and physically secure the entire site.  Within this security perimeter is a concrete batch plant providing concrete for construction.  This concrete batch plant is now separately walled.   

On the hill above the facility, a large number of earth piles can be seen accumulating.  These earth piles will likely be used to bury the facility when the concrete shell is completed (see Figure 3).  The concrete shell and earthen cover will provide additional strength and hardening from any potential airstrike.  Once buried, the visible portion of this highly secure, new facility will likely be reduced to one or two entrance portals.  Figure 4 visualizes the location of the arch-roofed structures underneath the concrete using an image overlay. 

Since the 12 Day War, upgrades have been made also to the active defensive capabilities at the site.  

The Institute considers the construction of this relatively large, highly fortified facility significant, at a location where key nuclear weapons component testing and development occurred in the Amad Plan up to at least 2004 and nuclear weapons component production more recently. Although the new facility's intended purpose could not be determined from the imagery, the new construction indicates its strategic significance.   

This specific construction project should also be put in the context of Iran’s history of using the Parchin military site for many of its nuclear weapon’s activities during the Amad Plan, including neutron initiator development work, multipoint initiation work, and the construction of a deeply buried weapon-grade uranium core production facility.

Figure 1.  A view of Taleghan 2 at the Parchin military site on December 25, 2025, showing the concrete being poured over the central arch-roofed building. 

Figure 2.  Taleghan 2 on January 17, 2026, showing that nearly the entire facility is covered by a concrete shell. 

Figure 3.  An overview of Taleghan 2 showing the accumulation of earth piles on the hill above the facility and the nearby concrete batch plant.

Figure 4.  A side-by-side layered view of the structure underneath the concrete sarcophagus. 

Figure 5. Above is a Google Earth view of the active air defense positions prior to their construction or reactivation. Below is a recent view of the defense positions. 

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Sources

^[1] “David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, Spencer Faragasso, and the Good ISIS Team,” Recent Satellite Imagery shows the Construction of a Concrete Sarcophagus over Taleghan 2, Institute for Science and International Security, January 6, 2026, 
https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/recent-satellite-imagery-shows-the-construction-of-a-concrete-sarcophagus-over-taleghan-2.