WASHINGTON, December 19, 2024 – In a press conference held in Washington, DC, the U.S. Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) disclosed significant intelligence exposing Tehran’s intensified nuclear weaponization efforts. These findings, based on credible data, highlight advancements in detonation technologies disguised as civilian initiatives.
Spotlight on METFAZ and SPND
Leveraging information from the People’s Mojahedin Organization’s network inside Iran, the NCRI detailed heightened activities at the Center for Research and Expansion of Technologies on Explosions and Impact (METFAZ). Operating under the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND)—a division of Iran’s Ministry of Defense led by Brigadier General Reza Mozafarinia—METFAZ has become a focal point for nuclear warhead development while evading international oversight.
“While uranium enrichment dominates international concerns, the Iranian regime has been covertly advancing the weaponization component of its nuclear program,” stated Soona Samsami, NCRI’s U.S. Representative. She underscored the regime’s reliance on obfuscation to thwart the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) verification efforts.
Role of Arvin Kimia Abzar Company
The NCRI exposed the involvement of the Arvin Kimia Abzar Company, a supposed oil and gas firm, as a front for nuclear detonation activities. Located at the newly renamed Meshkat Complex near Sanjarian, the company facilitates key METFAZ projects. Among its leadership:
- Saeed Borji, an SPND official and longtime IRGC member trained in explosives by Ukrainian nuclear expert Vyacheslav Danilenko.
- Akbar Motallebizadeh, the CEO, linked to high-explosive and warhead development.
These figures are pivotal in developing Exploding Bridgewire (EBW) detonators, a critical nuclear weapon component.
Secrecy and Infrastructure Expansion
Satellite images reveal extensive construction at the Plan 6 facilities in Parchin (Zeinoddin Industries) and the Meshkat Complex. Both sites are heavily secured, with local villagers reporting military land seizures and restricted access—underscoring their classified nature.
Call for Urgent Action
Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI’s U.S. Office Deputy Director, emphasized the need for immediate IAEA inspections, warning that Tehran’s secrecy and accelerated nuclear development demand global attention. Criticizing Western leniency, he urged decisive measures to counter the regime’s exploitation of diplomatic negotiations.
NCR-US Press Conference to Reveal Intensification of Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program, Dec 19, 2024
🔶️ NCRI-US deputy director @A_Jafarzadeh shared the names of several of the key experts involved in the weaponization program.#Iran #IranNuclear pic.twitter.com/z4PCy11QFW— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) December 19, 2024
Recommendations for Policy
The NCRI called for activating the UN Security Council’s snapback mechanism under Resolution 2231 and reinstating comprehensive sanctions. NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi reiterated her vision of a democratic Iran free of nuclear arms, asserting that regime change led by the Iranian people and organized resistance is the only sustainable solution.
These revelations reaffirm the regime’s ongoing deception and underline the critical need for unified international efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
#BREAKING | Fox News: Iran expands weaponization capabilities critical for employing nuclear bomb https://t.co/PtHOw5wOtl@A_Jafarzadeh told #FoxNews Digital: “The regime has used deceptive tactics to prevent any mechanism for verification, and it has yet to provide an… pic.twitter.com/4MyWRt4iBM
— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) December 20, 2024
