Iran's Khondab nuclear site shut after US-Israel strikes, UN confirms

The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on March 30, 2026, that Iran’s Khondab heavy water production plant near Arak has been severely damaged and rendered non-operational following coordinated strikes by US and Israeli forces on March 27. Satellite imagery and technical analysis verified the extent of the damage. Although the facility contained no declared nuclear material, it was a critical part of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, producing heavy water used to cool reactors capable of generating plutonium, a potential component for nuclear weapons. The Arak reactor itself had been partially dismantled under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) but remained under close international scrutiny due to concerns about its potential for weapons-grade plutonium production if restored. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged responsibility for the strike as part of a broader campaign named “Rising Lion,” targeting multiple nuclear-linked sites across Iran, including a uranium processing facility in Yazd. Israeli officials emphasized that the Kh