Former UN inspector: Satellite images seem to show all 3 tunnel entrances at Isfahan nuke site still blocked

David Albright, a former UN nuclear inspector, says that satellite imagery from Wednesday appears to show that all three tunnel entrances at the Isfahan nuclear site in Iran remain blocked after Israeli and US strikes last month.

“Many believe that at least some of the enriched uranium stocks are held inside this tunnel complex, but any such stocks appear to remain inaccessible,” writes the head of the Institute for Science and International Security, in a post on X.

“To access these stocks, the Iranians would have to dig through and clear about 20 meters of rubble or backfill to reach any of the tunnel entrances and begin excavation or repair activities,” he says.

Albright says that the images show no earth-moving equipment near a tunnel entrance.

Recent satellite imagery taken on July 9 shows only minimal activity at the Esfahan Nuclear Complex.  At the three tunnel entrances to the mountain facility, which are believed to house at least some of the remaining enriched uranium stocks, the Iranians would have to dig through… pic.twitter.com/gmMZMF2G3m

— Inst for Science (@TheGoodISIS) July 11, 2025

A senior Israeli official said Thursday that Israeli intelligence shows that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium had not been removed from Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan before the three nuclear sites were struck by the US last month amid Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, and has not been moved since.

The official suggested, however, that the Iranians might still be able to gain access to the enriched uranium at Isfahan but that it would be very difficult to remove it.