Natanz, Iran

Natanz is located 150 miles south of Tehran. The area is a desolate, desert wasteland, the perfect expanse in which to build a covert nuclear plant. The Natanz nuclear facility survived as a top-secret operation until 2002, when a group of exiled Iranians presented the outside world with details of the site, shocking the US and United Nations, and frightening the world.

The Natanz facility is a extensive complex that includes an administrative building and an immense underground bunker. There is a massive hall designed specifically for the housing of 50,000 enrichment centrifuges.

The enrichment facility was built more than 54 feet below ground, but clues to its location are scattered throughout the region. There are dozens of anti-aircraft placements and watchtowers en route.

According to David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, once Natanz’s 50,000 centrifuges are in place, it can turn out enough uranium to support 25 10-kiloton nuclear bombs every year. Once the focus of suspicion due to its concealed location and secretive operation, Natanz now serves as a serious concern because of its massive size and the grave military repercussions that may come with its development.