Iran
Country Spotlight
Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been a focus of international diplomacy for decades. Faced with accusations of nuclear weapons pursuits in violation of its NPT commitments, Iran concluded a 2015 agreement, the JCPOA, to restrict its nuclear program. However, the 2018 U.S. withdrawal from the deal and subsequent Iranian violations cast doubt on the deal’s future.
See Iran's performance in
Region Middle East and North Africa
142.1 kg Uranium enriched to 60% as of May 2024
4,486.8 kg Total stockpile of enriched uranium as of October 2023
2,000 km Self-imposed range limit on ballistic missiles
Nuclear
- In February 2024, Iran announced the start of construction of four new nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 5,000 megawatts; Iran plans to produce 20,000 megawatts of nuclear energy by 2041
- Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) concluded in 2015 to restrict Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief
- Possesses complete uranium fuel cycle capabilities
- Nuclear program and personnel have been targets of sabotage and assassinations
Overview of the Nuclear Disarmament Resource Collection
Biological
- Denies acquisition or production of biological weapons
- Has sophisticated biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
- Engages in dual-use activities which "raise concern" with U.S. government
Tutorial on Biological Weapons Nonproliferation
Iran Biological Overview
Missile
- Large, increasingly sophisticated ballistic missile and space launch programs
- Initially received foreign assistance, particularly from North Korea, but today possesses indigenous capabilities
- Supplies missiles and rockets to partner and proxy groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen
The CNS Iran Missile and SLV Launch Database
No, Iran Is Not Pursuing an ICBM (Yet)
Chemical
- Suffered severe losses from Iraqi chemical weapons use during the Iran-Iraq War
- Acknowledges development of limited chemical weapons capability in 1980s but denies ever weaponizing or using chemical weapons
- Rejects U.S. claims that Iran supplied Libya with chemical munitions in 1980s
Iran Chemical Overview
On Iran and North Korea: Don’t trust, and verify, verify, verify
Treaties and Regimes Memberships
Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP)
- Location Natanz Enrichment Plant
- Type Nuclear-Enrichment
- Facility Status Operational
Parchin Military Complex (Nuclear)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Weaponization
- Facility Status Operational
Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)
- Location Tehran Nuclear Research Center
- Type Nuclear-Research Reactors
- Facility Status Operational
Zirconium Production Plant (ZPP)
- Location Isfahan (Esfahan)
- Type Nuclear-Fuel Fabrication
- Facility Status Operational
Natanz Enrichment Complex
- Location Natanz, Iran
- Type Nuclear-Enrichment
- Facility Status Operational
Imam Hussein University (IHU)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Education and Training
- Facility Status Open
Fuel Fabrication Laboratory (FFL)
- Location Isfahan (Esfahan)
- Type Nuclear-Fuel Fabrication
- Facility Status Operational
Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center (NFRPC)
- Location Reshandasht, south east of Isfahan (Esfahan)
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (INTC)
- Location University of Isfahan
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP)
- Location Halileh, 12km south of Bushehr
- Type Nuclear-Power Reactors
- Facility Status 1 reactor operational, 2 new reactors planned
Bandar Abbas Uranium Production Plant (BUP)
- Location Bandar Abbas
- Type Nuclear-Mining and Milling
- Facility Status Non-Operational
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant
- Location Qom, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Base
- Type Nuclear-Enrichment
- Facility Status Operational as nuclear, physics and technology center under IAEA safeguards
Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP)
- Location Natanz Enrichment Plant
- Type Nuclear-Enrichment
- Facility Status Partially operational
Arak Nuclear Complex
- Location Arak, Iran
- Type Nuclear-Research Reactors
- Facility Status Ongoing redesign to meet JCPOA and IAEA requirements
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Regulatory
- Facility Status Operational
Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant
- Location Ardakan
- Type Nuclear-Mining and Milling
- Facility Status Operational
Amirkabir University of Technology
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Education and Training
- Facility Status Open
Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)
- Location Tehran
- Type Missile-Regulatory
- Facility Status Operational
Shahroud Missile Test Site
- Location Shahroud, Tehran province
- Type Missile-Testing
- Facility Status Unknown
Parchin Military Complex (Missile)
- Location Parchin
- Type Missile-Production
- Facility Status Operational
Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group
- Location Tehran
- Type Missile-Production
- Facility Status Operational
Imam Ali Missile Base
- Location Khorramabad, Lorestan
- Type Missile-Missile Bases
- Facility Status Operational
Bandar Abbas
- Location Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan
- Type Missile-Missile Bases
- Facility Status Operational
Defense Industries Organization (DIO) (Missile)
- Location Tehran
- Type Missile-Regulatory
- Facility Status Operational
Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO)
- Location Tehran
- Type Missile-Regulatory
- Facility Status Operational
Imam Khomeini Space Center
- Location Semnan, Iran
- Type Missile-Missile Bases
- Facility Status Operational
Saghand Uranium Mine
- Location Northeast of Yazd province in central Iran desert, Kavir
- Type Nuclear-Mining and Milling
- Facility Status Operational
Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Weaponization
- Facility Status Operational
Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF)
- Location Isfahan (Esfahan)
- Type Nuclear-Conversion
- Facility Status Operational; undergoing maintenance since summer 2009
Heavy Water Production Plant (HWPP)
- Location Khondab, near Arak
- Type Nuclear-Heavy Water Production
- Facility Status Probably Operating
Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Education and Training
- Facility Status Open
Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR)
- Location Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center
- Type Nuclear-Research Reactors
- Facility Status Operational
Anarak Waste Storage Facility
- Location Anarak
- Type Nuclear-Waste Management
- Facility Status Operational
Bonab Atomic Energy Research Center
- Location Bonab
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Graphite Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC GSCR)
- Location Esfahan (Isfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC)
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Heavy Water Zero Power Reactor (ENTC-HWZPR)
- Location Esfahan (Isfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC)
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Defense Industries Organization (DIO) (Nuclear)
- Location Tehran
- Type Nuclear-Enrichment
- Facility Status Operational
Light Water Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC-LWSCR)
- Location Esfahan (Isfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (INTC)
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Yazd Radiation Processing Center (YRPC)
- Location Yazd
- Type Nuclear-Research and Development
- Facility Status Operational
Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group
- Location Tehran
- Type Missile-Production
- Facility Status Operational
- NTI
- CNS
IranAerospace Industries Organization (AIO)
- Missile
Amirkabir University of Technology
- Nuclear
Anarak Waste Storage Facility
- Nuclear
Arak Nuclear Complex
- Nuclear
Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant
- Nuclear
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI)
- Nuclear
Bakhtaran Missile Base
- Missile
Bandar Abbas
- Missile
Bandar Abbas Uranium Production Plant (BUP)
- Nuclear
Bank Sepah
- Missile
Bonab Atomic Energy Research Center
- Nuclear
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP)
- Nuclear
Defense Industries Organization (DIO) (Missile)
- Missile
Defense Industries Organization (DIO) (Nuclear)
- Nuclear
Fajr Industrial Group
- Missile
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant
- Nuclear
Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP)
- Nuclear
Fuel Fabrication Laboratory (FFL)
- Nuclear
Graphite Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC GSCR)
- Nuclear
Heavy Water Production Plant (HWPP)
- Nuclear
Heavy Water Zero Power Reactor (ENTC-HWZPR)
- Nuclear
Imam Ali Missile Base
- Missile
Imam Hussein University (IHU)
- Nuclear
Imam Khomeini Space Center
- Missile
Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM)
- Nuclear
Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center (NFRPC)
- Nuclear
Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (INTC)
- Nuclear
Isfahan Missile Complex
- Missile
Lashkar Ab’ad
- Nuclear
Light Water Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC-LWSCR)
- Nuclear
Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR)
- Nuclear
Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)
- Missile
Natanz Enrichment Complex
- Nuclear
Parchin Military Complex (Missile)
- Missile
Parchin Military Complex (Nuclear)
- Nuclear
Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP)
- Nuclear
Qom Waste Disposal Site
- Nuclear
Saghand Uranium Mine
- Nuclear
Semnan Missile Complex
- Missile
Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group
- Missile
Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group
- Missile
Shahroud Missile Test Site
- Missile
Shiraz Missile Plant
- Missile
Tabriz Missile Base
- Missile
Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC)
- Nuclear
Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)
- Nuclear
Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF)
- Nuclear
Yazd Radiation Processing Center (YRPC)
- Nuclear
Zirconium Production Plant (ZPP)
- Nuclear
Analysis
Iran
The CNS India and Pakistan Missile Launch Databases
Database of Indian and Pakistani missile tests including the date, time, missile name, launch agency, facility name, and test outcome. (CNS)
Iranian Ballistic Missile Models
Iranian Centrifuge Model Collection
Education Center
Extensive resources on nuclear policy, biological threats, radiological security, cyber threats and more.
Sources
Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), “Iran’s Nuclear Program: 1950s and 60s: Atoms for Peace,” isis-online.org.
Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), “Iran’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle,” isisnucleariran.org.
U.S. Department of State, “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” https://2009-2017.state.gov.
U.S. Department of State, “Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments,” April 2023, www.state.gov.
International Atomic Energy Agency, Board of Governors, “NPT Safeguards Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” GOV/2023/58, November 15, 2023, www.iaea.org.
Stephanie Liechtenstein, “UN agency report says Iran has further increased it uranium stockpile,” Associated Press, November 15, 2023, www.apnews.com.
“Iran begins building 4 more nuclear power plants,” Associated Press, February 1, 2024, https://apnews.com.
Stephanie Liechtenstein, “Iran further increases its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, watchdog says,” Associated Press, May 27, 2024, https://apnews.com.