The Institute has been closely monitoring construction of a new facility at the Taleghan 2 site, a former AMAD plan nuclear weapons development site.  Activities visible in late December appear focused on thwarting destruction of this new facility from aerial bombardment. 

Construction activity has been ongoing at the Taleghan 2 site since at least mid-May 2025, following the destruction of the existing building in an Israeli airstrike in October 2024.  Imagery ranging from September to November 2025 showed the presence of a large and long cylindrical metal object measuring 36 meters long and at least 12 meters wide inside a central metal-arched roof building (see Figure 1).  This object resembles a high explosive containment vessel, possibly for the purpose of internally containing high explosives experiments that could be applicable to nuclear weapons development.^[1]  Such activity would be consistent with what previously occurred at this site as part of the AMAD program.

Based on the most recent Airbus OneAtlas imagery available of the Taleghan 2 site taken on December 25, 2025, the Iranians appear to be about mid-way through in the construction of a concrete sarcophagus to encase the metal arched roof that covers the central main facility (see Figure 2).  Currently only the central main arched building is covered with concrete. Large piles of earth can be seen on the hill above the facility.  This work is likely in preparation for a subsequent burial with earthen material that would further harden the facility.    The Institute will continue to monitor the site for any new developments. 

Figure 1. Several images of Taleghan 2 taken between September and November 2025 show clearly the internal cylindrical possible containment vessel and its width.  The middle image details the length and width of the internal object. The building itself measures 40 meters by 17 meters.

Figure 2.  A view of Taleghan 2 taken on December 25, 2025, showing that the main central building is being covered in a concrete sarcophagus that would enable it to be buried and provide it with additional strength in the event of future aerial attack. 

 

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Sources

^[1] David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, Spencer Faragasso, and the Good ISIS Team, “Satellite Imagery Shows Possible High-Explosives Containment Vessel at Taleghan 2, a Former AMAD Plan Nuclear Weapons Development Site,” Institute for Science and International Security, November 18, 2025, https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/satellite-imagery-shows-possible-high-explosives-containment-vessel-at-taleghan-2-a-former-amad-plan-nuclear-weapons-development-site.