Iran started rebuilding damaged missile sites AP analysis claims

The Iranian government has begun rebuilding its missile-production sites that had been targeted by Israel during its 12-day war in June, according to the latest available satellite imaging.

Such is the conclusion reached by the Associated Press following its own analysis of the satellite data issued by Planet Labs PBC, Caliber.Az reports.

However, they note in their investigative report on this matter that a key component for those sites seems to be likely missing — namely, the large mixers required to produce solid fuel for use in nuclear weapons.

The AP article argues that reconstituting the missile program is crucial for the Islamic Republic, which fears that another round of hostilities with Israel is likely.

Missile experts told AP that obtaining the mixers is a goal for Tehran, particularly as the country prepares for possible United Nations sanctions to be reimposed on the country later this month, which could penalise any development of the missile program, among other measures.

Known as planetary mixers, this type of equipment features blades that revolve around a central point, like orbiting planets, and offers better mixing action than other types of equipment. Iran could purchase them from China, as experts and US officials have argued that Tehran has been purchasing missile fuel ingredients and other components in the past.

“If they’re able to reacquire some key things like planetary mixers, then that infrastructure is still there and ready to get rolling again,” said Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies who studied Iranian missile sites.

The AP analysis suggests that construction at both the Parchin and Shahroud facilities is underway, which are solid-fuel missile manufacturing bases that can be launched faster than those using liquid fuel.

By Nazrin Sadigova