Disruptions to Iran’s Nuclear Program
(2002 - )
Over the past two decades, Iran’s nuclear program has been repeatedly disrupted through a combination of sabotage operations, assassinations, cyberattacks, and intelligence leaks. Many of these actions are widely attributed to Israel, often through its intelligence agency Mossad and sometimes in coordination with the United States. These efforts have collectively delayed, complicated, and exposed aspects of Iran’s nuclear development.
| Date | Disruption | Actor(s) & Attribution | Estimated Setback & Notes |
| 2002 | Exposure of Natanz & Arak nuclear sites by opposition group (NCRI) | NCRI (National Council of Resistance of Iran) | ~1–2 years — forced program into the open, triggering IAEA inspections and sanctions |
| 2007 | Death of Prof. Ardeshir Hosseinpour (nuclear physicist) | Mossad (widely suspected, officially disputed) | Unknown — slowed university research; possible morale impact |
| January 2021 | Assassination of Masoud Ali-Mohammadi (theoretical physicist) | Mossad (strong attribution) | Minimal — symbolic, not a critical technical figure |
| November 2010 | Assassination of Majid Shahriari; attempted hit on Abbasi-Davani | Mossad (widely attributed) | Moderate — impacted uranium enrichment and nuclear leadership |
| July 2011 | Killing of Dariush Rezaeinejad (electronics & detonator specialist) | Mossad (widely suspected) | Moderate — delayed work on explosive triggering systems |
| January 2012 | Car bomb assassination of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan (Natanz official) | Mossad (high confidence attribution) | Short-term — disrupted operations at Natanz |
| 2009-2010 | Stuxnet cyberattack on centrifuges at Natanz | U.S. (NSA) & Israel (Unit 8200) | 1–2 years — destroyed ~1,000 centrifuges; required redesign of control systems |
| 2018 | Mossad theft of Iran’s secret nuclear archive from Tehran | Israel (Mossad) | Strategic — exposed Iran’s weaponization efforts; helped push U.S. out of JCPOA |
| November 2020 | Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (head of AMAD project) | Mossad (Iran blames Israel) | ~1–2 years — major loss of scientific leadership; slowed planning of weaponization |
| April 2021 | Explosion/sabotage at Natanz underground enrichment site | Israel (confirmed by Iranian officials) | Months — destroyed IR-1 and IR-6 centrifuges; prompted security overhaul |
| June 2022 | Sabotage of IAEA monitoring equipment & withdrawal of surveillance access | Israel (widely suspected) | Months — blinded inspectors, obscured true enrichment rate |
| June 2025 | Operation Rising Lion, airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites
|
Israel | Years — destroyed multiple nuclear facilities, missile sites, and killed key IRGC and nuclear officials |
| June 2025 | Operation Midnight Hammer, airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities | U.S. Military | Years — destroyed three key nuclear facilities |
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