So, you're looking for a map of Iran's nuclear sites. Honestly, it's not as simple as just dropping a few pins on a Google Map and calling it a day anymore. Since the major strikes in the summer of 2025—what some are calling the "12-Day War"—the physical landscape of Iran's nuclear infrastructure has changed pretty drastically. Some of the most famous names like Natanz and Fordow are still there, obviously, but what’s actually happening inside them is a whole different story.
If you look at a map of Iran's nuclear sites today, you’ll see a massive spread across the central plateau, mostly tucked into the shadows of the Zagros Mountains. This isn't an accident. Iran has spent decades "mountain-hopping," moving their most sensitive centrifuge cascades deeper and deeper underground to stay out of reach of bunker-busters.
The big three: Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan
When people talk about this, they're usually thinking of Natanz. It’s basically the heart of the whole operation. Located about 225 kilometers south of Tehran, it’s not just one building; it's a sprawling complex. You've got the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) and the massive underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP). Well, "had" might be the better word for the above-ground stuff. Following the June 2025 strikes by the U.S. and Israel, the IAEA confirmed that the PFEP was essentially leveled. But the underground halls? Those are harder to kill.
Then there’s Fordow. This one is the stuff of nightmares for planners in Washington and Tel Aviv. It’s buried roughly 80 to 90 meters under a granite mountain near the holy city of Qom. You can’t just hit it with a standard cruise missile. Even after "Operation Midnight Hammer" in 2025, where the U.S. used Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), the extent of the internal damage is still a guessing game. The IAEA hasn’t had a real look inside since the bombs fell, though satellite imagery shows Iran is busy cleaning up the tunnel entrances.
What happened at Isfahan?
Isfahan is often overlooked, but it's arguably more critical for the "fuel cycle" than the enrichment plants. It’s where "yellowcake" uranium gets turned into uranium hexafluoride gas ($UF_6$).
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- The Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF): Heavily damaged in 2025.
- The Fuel Fabrication Plant: This is where they make the actual fuel rods.
- The Underground Tunnels: There’s a lot of talk right now about a tunnel complex at the base of the mountains in Isfahan.
Basically, if Isfahan is down, Natanz doesn't have the gas it needs to feed the centrifuges. Reports from late 2025 suggest Iran has been installing "Cruise Missile Chicane Barriers"—basically giant concrete zig-zags—at the tunnel mouths here to stop a repeat of last year's strikes.
The "Pickaxe Mountain" project
If you’re hunting for the latest addition to the map of Iran's nuclear sites, keep your eyes on Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La. Locally, it's known as "Pickaxe Mountain." It’s just south of the main Natanz site.
Why does this matter? Because it’s even deeper than Fordow. We’re talking 100 meters plus. Analysts at the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) have been tracking the "spoil piles"—the dirt dug out of the mountain—and it's massive. Iran says it’s just a replacement for the centrifuge assembly center that was sabotaged years ago, but the scale suggests they might be moving enrichment there too. It's the ultimate insurance policy.
The reactors: Bushehr and Arak
Down on the coast of the Persian Gulf sits Bushehr. This is Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant. It’s a Russian-built light-water reactor. Fun fact: nobody really wants to hit Bushehr. Why? Because it’s full of spent fuel. Striking an active reactor is a fast track to a regional ecological disaster, which is why it was mostly spared during the 2025 exchange.
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Then there’s Arak (now called Khondab). This is a heavy-water reactor. The concern here was always plutonium. Under the old 2015 deal, they were supposed to fill the core with concrete, but they’ve since moved to modernize it. It was hit in June 2025, but since it wasn't "hot" (meaning no nuclear fuel was inside), there wasn't any radiation leak. It’s currently in a state of "limbo" as Iran weighs its next move.
Why the map is getting harder to read
The biggest problem for the IAEA—and for us trying to track this—is that the "transparency" is gone. Since Iran ended its adherence to the JCPOA and the Additional Protocol, we’re mostly relying on satellites and "intelligence sources."
- Breakout time: Before the 2025 strikes, experts like David Albright were warning that Iran’s breakout time (the time to produce enough 90% HEU for one bomb) was essentially zero.
- The 60% Stockpile: Iran has been enriching to 60%, which is a hair's breadth away from weapons-grade.
- Weaponization: This is the missing piece. Building a map of Iran's nuclear sites tells you where the stuff is, but it doesn't tell you where the brains are. Most weaponization research—designing the actual bomb—is thought to happen in small, nondescript labs in Tehran or at military bases like Parchin, which look like ordinary industrial sites from a satellite.
What most people get wrong
People often think that if you blow up Natanz, the program dies. It doesn't. The "knowledge" is the one thing you can't bomb. Iranian scientists have become masters of the "centrifuge shuffle," moving assembly lines to workshops tucked away in the suburbs of Karaj or Tehran.
Also, the "map" isn't just about bombs. Iran actually has a legitimate need for medical isotopes, which they produce at the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR). This 5-megawatt reactor was actually a gift from the U.S. back in the 1960s under the "Atoms for Peace" program. Talk about irony.
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Actionable insights for following the situation
If you're trying to stay updated on the status of these sites, don't just wait for the evening news. The situation in 2026 is moving too fast.
- Monitor IAEA Quarterly Reports: These are the gold standard. Even if inspectors are blocked from some sites, the reports detail exactly where the "blackouts" are happening.
- Watch the "Spoil Piles": If you use tools like Google Earth or follow satellite analysts on social media, look for new excavation at Pickaxe Mountain or Isfahan. New dirt means new tunnels.
- Check the "Breakout" Clock: Sites like Iran Watch or the Arms Control Association provide updated estimates on how much 60% uranium Iran has left after the strikes.
- Differentiate between Enrichment and Weaponization: Remember that a map of Iran's nuclear sites usually shows where uranium is processed. The actual "making of the bomb" happens in locations that are much harder to find.
The map is currently a work in progress. With the 2026 IAEA Board of Governors meeting approaching, we’ll likely find out if Iran is willing to let the cameras back in, or if the map stays a series of "best guesses" and satellite shadows.
Next Steps
To get a clearer picture, you should look into the specific technical differences between IR-1 and IR-6 centrifuges. Understanding why the IR-6 is such a game-changer will explain why Iran is so desperate to protect the small footprints at Fordow and Pickaxe Mountain.