Iranian Nuclear Doctrine

[Persian Gulf]

Esfahan Nuclear Technology Centre sustained significant damage during the June war

most of the damage was not repaired (or even rubble cleared) as of October 2025

North of ENTC:



South of ENTC:



damaged/destroyed buildings indicated in red.

good overview of the relevant sites in the table below.

Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF)	uranium conversion	ENTC	heavily damaged
Natural and Depleted Uranium Metal Production Facility	production of metal from natural and depleted uranium	ENTC; part of the UCF	damaged; had not been operational prior to strikes
Enriched Uranium Metal Processing Facility	production of enriched uranium metal	ENTC	damaged; had been under construction prior to strikes
Uranium Chemistry Laboratory (UCL)	study of uranium compounds	ENTC	damaged
Fuel Fabrication Laboratory (FFL)	fuel pellet production	ENTC	damaged
Enriched Uranium Powder Plant (EUPP)	conversion of UF6 gas into oxide	ENTC	unknown; was operational prior to strikes
Fuel Manufacturing Plant (FMP)	fuel production for the Arak reactor and light water reactors	ENTC	damaged
Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant (FPFP)	fuel production for the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)	ENTC	damaged
Zirconium Production Plant (ZPP)	zirconium sponge production	ENTC	undamaged; was operational prior to strikes
Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) (30 kWt)	reportedly for isotope production	ENTC	likely undamaged;[1] was operational prior to strikes
Heavy Water Zero Power Reactor	research	ENTC	likely undamaged;[1] was operational prior to strikes
Light Water Sub-Critical Reactor (LWSCR)	research	ENTC	likely undamaged;[1] was operational prior to strikes
Light water research reactor (10 MWt)	testing of nuclear fuel materials and isotope production	ENTC	likely undamaged;[1] was under construction prior to strikes
Graphite Sub-Critical Reactor (GSCR)	training	ENTC	unknown; had been decommissioned prior to strikes
Isfahan centrifuge workshop	centrifuge assembly	ENTC	damaged

 

[FUB]

I wonder if his fatwa is now history

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[Immortals]

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[Persian Gulf]

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they hit one unidentified vehicle? there goes our nuclear doctrine

 

[Persian Gulf]

Where is Iran's stockpile of HEU? US intelligence: we don't know! Iran has had access to it for "months" ...

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[Immortals]

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[Nimble]

Imagine if Iran suddenly conduct a nuclear test.... whatever the hopes still America and Israel are having will further go down.... I think khamenai made a big mistake in the history of Iran by saying nukes are haram.... Iranian history will never forgive him for his sin towards a nation...
Maybe they have a nuclear weapon but they need to test it ASAP or declare as time is running out fast...

 

[2ndstrike]

Imagine if Iran suddenly conduct a nuclear test.... whatever the hopes still America and Israel are having will further go down.... I think khamenai made a big mistake in the history of Iran by saying nukes are haram.... Iranian history will never forgive him for his sin towards a nation...
Maybe they have a nuclear weapon but they need to test it ASAP or declare as time is running out fast...

Is he really the final decision maker that prevent Iran from going nuclear? If that is true, then his death is a blessing in disguise for a lot of his subordinates. Imagine going to work everyday and having to deal with a Manager who is old fashioned, stubborn, and resist to changes and adaption of the new surrounding world, that's really frustrations for the staff.

 

[Nimble]

Is he really the final decision maker that prevent Iran from going nuclear? If that is true, then his death is a blessing in disguise for a lot of his subordinates. Imagine going to work everyday and having to deal with a Manager who is old fashioned, stubborn, and resist to changes and adaption of the new surrounding world, that's really frustrations for the staff.

I understand but Iranian leadership as a whole should have understood the importance of nukes... we hear how Iran was studying Libya, Iraq, Syria wars and accordingly they prepared themselves to deal with such a situation.... and yes they have really prepared themselves great and we can see that today.... its not a joke to fight and bleed America Israel combo together.... only concern is when they could plan this much futuristic then how couldn't they understand the importance of nukes....

 

[Immortals]

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@ShapurII

@Shags101

We had discussed this option, but it would require kicking the Russians out of the plant so they don’t rat to the Americans.

 

[ShapurII]

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@ShapurII

@Shags101

We had discussed this option, but it would require kicking the Russians out of the plant so they don’t rat to the Americans.

Yeah, and the Russians will go nowhere. Not as long as we have Russophiles in our political system.

This thread is also another embarrassment and reminder of our misfortunes and mismanagement like the IRIAF. I feel disturbed every time that I check PDF and see these threads are still sticky.

 

[Shags101]

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@ShapurII

@Shags101

We had discussed this option, but it would require kicking the Russians out of the plant so they don’t rat to the Americans.

Problem there is Israel would risk a nuclear meltdown in a case like that almost certainly they would do it they wouldn’t care twice what happens to the region as long as the fallout isn’t directed in their direction

 

[Immortals]

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Another Iranian suspected nuclear facility bombed thru the ventilation shaft, seems Iranian engineers did not account for this possibility.

 

[vizier]

If it is possible to stop icbms, new stealthy cruise missiles and b2 planes with almost 100% effectiveness then it can be said that deterrence against nuclear weapons are not necessary and it is more moral to not to develop any kind of wmds. Since it is not possible to stop icbms and several other weapons with most of them are nuke tipped and if there is no answer thought against its usage by the enemy then that is more being delusional than being moral. Since it would be illogical to think that making a high moral choice(subjectively) would stop the enemy from using wmds when they find it suitable and less risky. Simply doesnt work that way. Minimum deterrence against nuclear weapons is enough and absolutely necessary.

Having the option to use wmds is different than actually using them and having that option is most of the time the only thing that blocks the enemy from using its own wmds which cannot be stopped like icbms. If there is no answer thought against enemy wmds then there can be no deterrence. There can be other options developed by Iran against nukes like hitting enemy nuclear sites with precision to create fallout or other means I dont know but there should be measures if no wmd path is chosen by Iran.

Having said that it seems kind of easy to develop a dispersion system for a D-bomb. It is easier than chemical weapon warheads since with explosion the active material which is heu does not lose its qualities which is radioactivity. For example a liquidified gas such as CO2 can be condensed into a much lower volume than its gas form under several atm pressure. This can be the core of the warhead with rods standing around this core containing heu dust. This liquid can be made to boil by reducing pressure opening valves to 1 atm and by triggering an explosive at the center of the warhead it can be mixed with heu dust and spread out into atmosphere. Unlike helium it is heavier than air and would go down while the gas expands to a very large area depending on the altitude and wind conditions. It would be kind of fukushima disaster but a well targeted one . Having this option can be kind of deterrent forcing no nukes would be used by the enemy no matter the casualties it endures. Having them and using them are two different things and the former is most of the time necessary for effective deterrence.

Russia cannot use nukes since Ukraine(which also has a nuclear wmd program) can get tactical nukes from Eu countries immediately and claim Ukr developed those by themselves. They can test them the next day and use them the day after on Russian positions like for example on Crimea. It cannot be proven otherwise. Iran does not have that kind of option but only domestic means to develop deterrence.