Iran Rebuilding Nuclear Program Despite Trump Talks, Opposition Figure Claims

Iran Rebuilding Nuclear Facilities Despite Ongoing U.S. Negotiations

Iran has accelerated efforts to rebuild nuclear sites damaged in previous U.S. military strikes while simultaneously engaging in diplomatic talks with the Trump administration, according to a prominent Iranian opposition figure.

Satellite imagery recently released by Earth intelligence monitor Planet Labs shows reconstruction activity at the Isfahan nuclear complex, one of three uranium enrichment facilities targeted in the U.S. military operation “Midnight Hammer” on June 22. The coordinated Air Force and Navy strikes also hit the Fordow and Natanz facilities.

“The regime has clearly stepped up efforts to rebuild its uranium enrichment capabilities,” said Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). “It is preparing itself for a possible war by trying to preserve its nuclear weapons program and ensure its protection.”

The satellite images reveal that Iran has buried entrances to a tunnel complex at the Isfahan site, employing similar protective measures at the Natanz facility, which houses two additional enrichment plants. At Natanz, imagery from January shows a new roof has been constructed over a previously destroyed building.

“These efforts in Isfahan involve rebuilding its centrifuge program and other activities related to uranium enrichment,” Jafarzadeh explained. “Tehran is trying to salvage whatever has remained of its nuclear weapons program and quickly rebuild it.”

The reconstruction activities come at a sensitive moment as Iran participates in nuclear talks with the United States in Geneva. On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued a warning that “bad things” would happen if Iran failed to reach a deal. The negotiations aim to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, Jafarzadeh argues that for the Iranian regime, these talks represent merely a tactical delay rather than a genuine commitment to nuclear disarmament.

“Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei agreed to the nuclear talks as it would give the regime crucial time to avoid or limit the consequences of confrontation with the West,” he said. “The insistence of the Iranian regime during the nuclear talks on maintaining its uranium enrichment capabilities, while rebuilding its damaged sites, is a clear indication that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has no plans to abandon its nuclear weapons program.”

Jafarzadeh, who gained international recognition for publicly revealing the existence of Iran’s Natanz nuclear site in 2002, claims the regime has invested approximately “$2 trillion” in its nuclear capabilities—”higher than the entire oil revenue generated since the regime came to power in Iran in 1979.”

That 2002 revelation led to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and intensified global scrutiny of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. According to Jafarzadeh, the NCRI, led by Maryam Rajavi, has exposed more than 100 nuclear sites and projects in Iran “despite a massive crackdown by the regime on this movement.”

The situation highlights the complex challenges facing U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region. While negotiations continue, Iran’s apparent determination to restore its nuclear infrastructure raises questions about the sincerity of its engagement in talks and complicates the path toward a sustainable agreement.

The conflict places significant pressure on both administrations—Iran seeking to maintain what it considers a strategic asset for regime survival, and the United States attempting to prevent nuclear proliferation in a region already marked by instability.

Regional experts suggest this dual-track approach by Iran—engaging in diplomacy while rebuilding nuclear capabilities—reflects its long-standing strategy of advancing nuclear ambitions while seeking relief from crippling international sanctions that have severely impacted its economy.