Above ground, rubble; below it, excavations: What satellite images reveal in Iran

An analysis of satellite images by the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) reveals that Iran's main missile production facilities in Parchin, Khojir, and Shahroud are largely inactive following Israeli and American strikes. Alongside heavy destruction, signs of activity were identified in underground tunnels and new infrastructure excavations, raising the possibility that Iran is moving production and assembly underground.

An analysis of satellite images by the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) reveals a complex picture of Iran's missile industry following Israeli and American strikes. The three main production sites—Parchin, Khojir, and Shahroud—suffer from heavy damage, and the above-ground production facilities remain largely inactive. However, significant signs of activity were identified in tunnel complexes. In Parchin, alongside an inactive solid fuel plant, an infrastructure structure in the nearby tunnel complex was repaired, and containers 5 to 13 meters long, similar to those previously used at missile sites, were observed. Researchers estimate that the longer ones may be used for ballistic missiles. In Khojir, tunnel entrances remain mostly blocked, and researchers question the Wall Street Journal report on the resumption of underground missile assembly at this site. In Shahroud, debris removal is more advanced, and extensive excavations of a new tunnel complex in the mountain, which began in the fall of 2024, continue. Researchers estimate that concentrating recovery efforts at one site may allow production to resume within about a year, subject to obtaining industrial equipment.