Kolkata: On the morning of June 19, the air force of Israel bombed Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor. Also, Israel launched a second strike on the Natanz enrichment facility, the major nuclear facility in Iran. Moreover, dozens of other military sites in the country were hit overnight, as Israel has upped the ante in its aim to destroy the Iranian nuclear program.
According to the IDF, the Israeli strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production so that the reactor “cannot be restored and used for nuclear weapons development.” Also, Israel struck another site around Natanz which is related to the nuclear program of Iran.
According to the Iranian state TV, the Israeli attack did not lead to any radiation on the Arak site. As per reports, the facility was evacuated before the attack and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor.
The research reactor was built partially and Iran had reportedly informed the UN nuclear watchdog that it planned to begin operating the facility next year. Reportedly, heavy-water reactors can lead to nuclear proliferation as they can easily produce plutonium which, like enriched uranium, can be used to make an atom bomb’s core.
What is the Arak facility?
The Arak Nuclear Complex has the IR-40 which is an Iranian 40-megawatt heavy water reactor near Arak. It is located beside the Arak Heavy Water Production Plant created in the 1990s. In October 2004, the civil works for its construction began and 2014 was initially marked as the year the reactor would begin nuclear operations.
Iran, due to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, agreed in July 2015 to redesign the IR-40 reactor. It was done to lessen the reactor’s plutonium production and avoid weapons-grade plutonium production. Also, Iran agreed to remove the reactor core or calandria and fill it with concrete to render it unusable and to export all spent fuel within one year of its removal from the reactor.
Notably, the Arak Nuclear Complex includes a heavy water experimental reactor and an adjacent production plant. While heavy water helps to keep the reactors cool, it also leads to the production of plutonium, a fissile material suitable for nuclear bombs. Despite Iran’s assurances, the international community has remained concerned about the purpose of the reactor. In 2019, Iran activated the secondary circuit of the reactor. While the move did not directly violate the JCPOA, the act ensured that Iran moved closer to creating nuclear weapons.
According to reports, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the reactor in June 2013, when the reactor vessel was installed, which is the final precursor before the commencement of operation. Reportedly, the Russian firm Nikiet assisted with portions of the design but stopped in the late 1990s following pressure from the US.
