Iran Claims Nuclear Data Theft From Israel

Tehran’s Allegations Heighten Regional Tensions

Amidst escalating conflict in Gaza and stalled negotiations over its nuclear program, Iran asserts it has obtained sensitive information regarding Israel’s nuclear facilities, prompting international concern and scrutiny.

IAEA Confirms Potential Target

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, stated Monday that the information Iran claims to have seized “seems to refer” to Israel’s Soreq Nuclear Research Center. This marks the first external acknowledgement of the alleged theft. We have seen some reports in the press. We haven’t had any official communication about this, Grossi told reporters in Vienna. In any case, this seems to refer to Soreq, which is a research facility which we inspect by the way.

The Soreq facility, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Tel Aviv, has been a national laboratory for nuclear science since 1958, focusing on nuclear science, radiation safety, and applied physics. The IAEA monitors Soreq under item-specific safeguards agreements, as Israel is not a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Iran’s Assertions and Motives

Over the weekend, Iranian state television and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib claimed the acquisition of an important treasury of information related to Israel’s nuclear program, promising its imminent release. Khatib alleged the documents, totaling thousands of pages, were obtained through infiltration and access to the sources, and relate to the U.S., Europe, and other nations. He did not detail the methods used.

This claim may be a response to a 2018 Israeli operation where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented what he described as a half ton of documents detailing Iran’s nuclear program. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Israel is estimated to possess between 90 and 300 nuclear warheads, making it the only undeclared nuclear power in the Middle East. Source: FAS, 2024

Escalating International Pressure

Western nations are preparing to present a proposal to the IAEA’s Board of Governors this week, seeking a finding of Iranian noncompliance with UN nuclear watchdog standards. This action could escalate the issue to the UN Security Council and potentially trigger the reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran, a power that expires in October.

Grossi noted the IAEA maintains a confidential reporting system for nations to report security incidents involving their nuclear programs, but did not elaborate on the source of his information. Israel has not officially acknowledged any Iranian operation targeting its nuclear infrastructure, though reports have surfaced of Israelis arrested for allegedly spying for Tehran.

The timing of these allegations coincides with renewed tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities, which are nearing weapons-grade levels, and the potential collapse of negotiations for a new nuclear deal with the United States.