Iran's Persistent Nuclear Expansion Raises Concerns for State Department, UN Watchdog

A recent report alleges Iran's shifting of nuclear resources to a university associated with the IRGC, highlighting the persistent pursuit of its nuclear ambitions despite international scrutiny and condemnation.

The United States State Department has expressed deep concern following a United Nations watchdog report confirming Iran's expansion of its nuclear site. The report adds to growing worries over Iran's relentless efforts to advance its nuclear weapons program.

An investigation by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) unraveled Iran's attempt to evade U.S. sanctions against its nuclear program. The NCRI report exposed the regime's strategy of shifting personnel and resources to Islamic Azad University, an institution closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iran's Persistent Nuclear Expansion Raises Concerns for State Department, UN Watchdog

Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the NCRI's Washington office, condemned the regime's persistent obstruction of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigations into the full extent of its nuclear arsenal. He stated, "Our revelations have shown that Tehran's nuclear program has always been about building the nuclear bomb, and it is run by the IRGC."

The NCRI's report alleges that the U.S.-sanctioned Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND) relocated its operations to Islamic Azad University. Despite sanctions, the report claims that university personnel instructed researchers to disguise their activities as work for front companies.

Iran's Persistent Nuclear Expansion Raises Concerns for State Department, UN Watchdog

The SPND Act, passed shortly before the death of former Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, ordered the Ministry of Defense to establish the SPND as an independent legal entity within a month. This act provides the organization with financial, transactional, and administrative autonomy, exempting it from public accounting laws.

The Islamic Azad University system boasts over 1 million students and 50,000 academic staff, making it one of the largest university networks globally. The NCRI report suggests that the regime founded the university with the blessing of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran's Persistent Nuclear Expansion Raises Concerns for State Department, UN Watchdog

The NCRI linked several prominent figures at Islamic Azad University to the SPND, including Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, the university's president. Tehranchi reportedly has connections to SPND and the regime's nuclear warhead project. Other key figures identified include Jamshid Sabbaghzadeh, head of the university's Science and Research Center, who previously worked on Iran's nuclear enrichment program.

Jafarzadeh criticized the "appeasement" policy of "Western powers," arguing that Iran has faced minimal consequences for its illegal nuclear activities. He stated, "Tehran's strategy has prevented decisive action against other aspects of its malevolent behavior, such as egregious human rights violations, terrorism, and hostage-taking."

Iran's Persistent Nuclear Expansion Raises Concerns for State Department, UN Watchdog

The U.S. National Security Council did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on these allegations.

The ongoing expansion of Iran's nuclear program and the regime's efforts to conceal its activities raise serious concerns for the international community. The State Department's deep concerns and the UN watchdog's confirmation of nuclear site expansion underscore the urgent need for robust international action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.