Iran International:

procurement network tied to a shadowy Iranian military organization stretches into Europe using front companies to supply sensitive technology to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, according to an Iran International investigation.

The network is run on behalf of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), a Defense Ministry body established in 2010 which the United States calls a successor to Iran’s alleged pre-2004 nuclear weapons program.

Western governments have sanctioned SPND for years, citing its role in the potential proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The network purchases dual-use and military-grade equipment, including in the field of neutronics—a highly sensitive discipline vital to controlling chain reactions in nuclear reactors and, in a military context, producing or controlling neutrons for weapons design, a source familiar with its activities said.

“This network purchases dual-use and military-grade equipment, including neutronics and other sensitive components, on behalf of SPND,” the source said.

Such capabilities can be used for reactor safety, protection from radiation and can have military applications for producing nuclear weapons.

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