The United States representative office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a press conference on Friday, January 31, 2025, exposing new intelligence on the Iranian regime’s covert nuclear weapons program. The revelations, based on reports from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), underscore Tehran’s continued efforts to develop nuclear warheads in violation of international agreements.
The information, compiled by the Defense and Strategic Research Committee of the NCRI, highlights Iran’s clandestine activities at multiple sites, particularly the Shahrud missile site, the Semnan facility, and the Sorkhe Hesar site near Tehran.
Shahrud Missile Site: A Hub for Nuclear Warhead Development
At the core of the regime’s nuclear efforts is the Shahrud missile site, where the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND) oversees the development of nuclear warheads for solid-fuel missiles exceeding a range of 3,000 kilometers.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of NCRI-US, stated:
“SPND now has large-scale personnel and operations at the Shahrud site. SPND has intensified its efforts to construct nuclear warheads.”
The site is a militarized zone, guarded by IRGC Aerospace Force personnel. Unauthorized access is strictly prohibited, and local citizens or travelers attempting to enter are arrested. The site features a testing facility and a missile launchpad, camouflaged as part of Iran’s satellite program.
Mr. Jafarzadeh revealed that Iran is using the Ghaem-100 missile, a solid-fuel, mobile missile modeled after a North Korean design, which has replaced the Shahab-3 missile as the preferred platform for nuclear warheads.
Semnan Facility and Underground Expansion
Another key site in the regime’s nuclear weapons program is the Semnan facility, which has undergone significant expansion under the guise of space research. The facility now consists of eight operational sites, up from two in 2005, and includes underground tunnels connecting key locations.
SPND’s Geophysics Group, a unit responsible for high-explosive detonation testing critical for nuclear warhead development, is conducting underground tests in the deserts south of Semnan. The NCRI-US deputy director identified key specialists involved in this project: Mohammad Javad Zaker, Hamed Aber, and Farhad Moradiani Khosrowabad. The group also maintains close ties with Iranian scientific institutions to conceal its activities.
Sorkhe Hesar: A Growing Nuclear Expansion
Mr. Jafarzadeh also revealed that SPND has expanded its activities at the Sorkhe Hesar site near Tehran, which was first exposed in 2020. Since then, operations have increased, further demonstrating the regime’s persistent ambitions.
Deception Through the ‘Directorate for Nuclear Treaties’
To mask its activities, the Iranian regime has established a Directorate for Nuclear Treaties, operating under the Supreme National Security Council. This body is tasked with concealing nuclear warhead development and feigning compliance with international agreements, such as the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Ms. Soona Samsami, NCRI-US Representative, stated:
“For over two decades, the regime has used negotiations and the West’s leniency merely as a means to complete its nuclear weapons program. It has exploited talks as a tool to buy time, betray the international community’s trust, and pose a serious threat to global peace and stability.”
Ms. Samsami revealed a confidential internal memo, exposing the regime’s strategy to delay action through negotiations with European countries and indirect talks with the U.S. The memo indicates Tehran is attempting to sustain the status quo for six months, after which the sunset clause in UN Security Council Resolution 2231 would render efforts to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions ineffective.
Historical Pattern of Deception
Since NCRI first exposed Iran’s secret nuclear sites in Natanz and Arak in 2002, Tehran has followed a consistent pattern of deception. The NCRI representative in the United States recalled admissions from senior Iranian officials, such as former President Hassan Rouhani, who openly admitted to deceiving the West during nuclear negotiations in 2003-2005.
She also cited Ali Akbar Salehi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, who revealed in 2019 how the regime secretly preserved components of the Arak heavy water reactor while falsely claiming compliance with the JCPOA.
The Urgent Need for International Action
With Iran’s nuclear threat accelerating, Ms. Samsami emphasized that the international community must act decisively. She outlined a three-point action plan:
1️Activate the snapback mechanism to reinstate six UN Security Council resolutions against Iran, reversing the damage done by lifting sanctions.
2️ Shut down all nuclear-related sites, including uranium enrichment facilities. The IAEA must be granted unrestricted access to all declared and undeclared nuclear sites. Anything less would render inspections meaningless.
3️ Impose severe consequences for further violations. Without accountability, diplomatic overtures will only embolden the regime’s deception.
“Now is the time to hold the regime accountable for its rogue behavior—be it the execution of over 1,000 people in 2024 and continuing in 2025, its regional warmongering, or its nuclear weapons development,” she concluded.
As Iran’s nuclear weapons program accelerates, the NCRI warns that failing to take decisive action will have dire consequences for global security.