The Israeli attack on Iran’s largest nuclear plant Natanj has suffered heavy losses. In this attack, about 15,000 centrifuge present in Natanj have been destroyed. Rafael Gossi, Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has told the BBC that the centrifuge at the underground uranium enrichment plant in Natanj, Iran has probably badly broken after the Israeli attacks on Friday.
Rafael Gossi, Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that the loss to Centrifuse was due to the closure of electricity supply after the Israeli attack on this nuclear site. He said that in the Israeli attack, a plant above the ground on the Nantaj nuclear site has been completely destroyed.
The severe damaged of 15000 centrifugas in the Natanj Nuclear Site in the Israeli attack is like a big shock for the Iran nuclear dream.
What are the centrifuge machines
Centrifuges are machines that rotate at high speed and separate uranium. Gas centrifuge in nuclear context is used for uranium enrichment. These machines separate uranium hexaphloride (UF6) gas rapidly and separate the isotopes from uranium-238 (U-238) by rotating the gas rapidly. The U-235 is the isotope that is fragmented, that is, it is broken and is used to make atomic bombs or generate nuclear power.
Why is Centrifuse necessary in making atomic bombs
Weapons-grade uranium is required to make atomic bombs. That is, a uranium in which the purity of U-235 is 90% or more. But natural uranium is only 0.7% of the amount of U-235, so centrifuge is used to enhance it. Centrephus rotate uranium gas with high speed (thousands of rpm), which separates the light U-235 from heavy U-238. This process is repeated several times to receive high concentrations of U-235. That is, the solid and pure part should be separated.
The more powerful centrifuge, such as Iran’s IR-2M or IR-6, make this process sharp and efficient. This is an important step in the process of making atomic bombs.
Rafael Gossi, Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the damage to the Centrifuse occurred despite not having a direct attack in the underground hall (where there are centrifuge machines). Because after the attack, the supply of electricity to these machines was stopped due to power cut.
He said that four buildings were also damaged at the Isfahan nuclear site, but there was no damage in the underground Fordo Promotion Plant.
He said, “Our assessment is that due to the sudden reduction of electricity coming from outside, there is a lot of possibility that the centrifugs are not completely destroyed, but have been severely damaged.”
Explain that due to the closure of electricity supply, it damages very delicate and complex machines. These machines make uranium enrichments possible by moving at excessive speed.
Earlier on Monday, Gersi had told the IAEA board that there is a possibility of both radiological and chemical adulteration at the Natanj plant.
However, he also said that, “There has been no change in the level of radioactivity outside the nuclear site and it remains at the normal level, which shows that this phenomenon has no external radiological impact on the population or environment.”
The GRASI said that the attack on Natanj on Friday destroyed the upper part of the pilot fuel promotion plant (PFEP), where the caske of centrifugas was producing refiners up to 60% purity of refine uranium – which is close to 90% required for weapons -grade uranium.
If Iran achieves this target of up to 90 percent, then it can make a atomic bomb.
Greesy told the board of IAEA, “There has been no indication of any physical attack on the underground cascade hall with PFEP and the main fuel enrichment plant. However, the lack of electricity in the cascade hall can damage the centrifuge.”
What causes damage to centrifug with power cut
Explain that if the Centrifuse does not get a continuous power supply, then a small problem – such as power cuts – can be uncontrolled, after which the machines inside the centrifuge can hit each other and damage the entire cascade.
After the Israeli attack on the Natanj nuclear site, IAEA officials have not yet done physical verification there but this team studies the pictures being received from the satellite in detail.
Please tell that Israel bombed Natanj in the early hours of Friday. Which was the first major attack to launch its campaign against Iranian military and nuclear sites. Israel says that this step was necessary to thwart immediately existed nuclear threat.
The Israeli army claims that the underground Centrifuse Hall was also damaged during the attack on Natanz, although Israel has not given any evidence.
Regarding the Isfahan and Fordo nuclear site, the Israeli army stated that the Isfahan attack “infrastructure, labs and additional infrastructure destroyed the infrastructure, lab and additional infrastructure to reconstruct the metallic uranium production, renovated uranium.”
According to IAEA, there are also underground places in Isfahan, which have not been affected by this attack. Groxy said that “if there is any loss, it is very limited at the Fordo plant.”