Iran has maintained that it does not seek to build nuclear weapons, but its rapid acceleration in uranium enrichment, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), sparked alarm before Israel's and the U.S.' strikes.

On May 31, 2025, IAEA reported that Iran had sharply increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just below weapons-grade, reaching over 408 kilograms, a nearly 50% rise since February.

According to the Iranian authorities, the gas centrifuges in this center were built 40–50 metres (130–160 ft) underground, for safety reasons. and also for being safe from "possible air attack". The existence of this nuclear center was first exposed in 2002 by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran.