TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragci criticized the European troika and the US for losing credibility in non-proliferation as Israel is strengthening its construction at the Dimona nuclear site.
Araghchi made his remarks in a post on his X account on Friday. This follows satellite image analysis showing acceleration work on key new structures at the Shimon Peres Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. Experts suggest that the facility is either a new reactor or site that builds nuclear weapons, and could update long-standing concerns about Israel’s private nuclear weapons.
“All this western hysteria regarding the nuclear proliferation of Western Asia is fluff,” writes Araguchi. “The question is not the existence or growth of atomic weapons, but who is scientifically allowed to advance forward, even peaceful nuclear programs.” He criticized “the deafening Western silence” for “the only nuclear weapon in our region, the nuclear weapons held by our genocide allies.” Araghchi added that E3 (Britain, France, Germany) and the United States “may be denied, but their silence undermines the credibility of claiming non-proliferation.”
Satellite images captured by Planet Labs PBC on July 5th show important structures at the site, including the cranes mentioned above, including those that look like thick concrete retaining walls and multiple underground floors. It is widely believed that Israel will use Dimona’s heavy water reactor to produce plutonium for nuclear warheads and tritium to increase explosive power. Both Israel and the United States declined to comment in line with Israel’s longstanding policy of not confirming or denying Israel’s nuclear capabilities.
The expansion targeted and killed military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians in the wake of an unprovoked attack on Iran on June 13. Shortly afterwards, the United States carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, what Tehran calls a blatant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Israel is estimated to own between 200 and 400 nuclear warheads, making it the only nuclear militants in West Asia. Nevertheless, it refuses to participate in the NPT or allow international testing, and has received enduring diplomatic support from the United States.