PUBLISHED on August 11, 2025, 01:29 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary – Iran has moved more than 15 of its top surviving nuclear scientists into hiding following the targeted killings of at least 14 of their colleagues during the “12-Day War” with Israel and the U.S. in June.
-Despite this, Tehran remains defiant, vowing to rebuild its nuclear program. However, Israeli intelligence experts have labeled the hidden scientists “dead men walking,” citing the Mossad’s deep, long-term infiltration of Iran’s nuclear program.
-This suggests that the secure locations are likely already compromised, making further targeted strikes a distinct possibility.
Iran’s Hiding Nuclear Scientists Have a Target On Their Back…
A senior Iranian official told Britain’s Telegraph newspaper that more than 15 top nuclear scientists have been moved into hiding.
The news, which reflects Tehran’s refusal to abandon plans to rebuild nuclear infrastructure destroyed during the 12-Day War, suggests plans are underway to utilize what’s left of the nation’s top nuclear talent.
During the June conflict with the United States and Israel, Iran lost at least 14 of its top nuclear scientists.
The 15 scientists, who have since been sent into hiding, according to the Telegraph, have left their universities and homes to move into secure locations in the nation’s capital and along the northern coast.
What We Know
The news comes as Iranian officials continue to tell Western media outlets, United Nations atomic inspectors, and world leaders that the nation’s controversial nuclear program will continue despite pressure from the United States, Israel, and Europe.
The British news outlet claims to have seen a list of names of Iran’s surviving nuclear scientists, compiled by Israeli intelligence officials.
Israeli officials reportedly also confirmed that those scientists “must not decide whether to continue their work and risk further strikes or find a new career.”
Israeli experts, however, say that any nuclear scientist tasked with rebuilding the nation’s nuclear program and inheriting the work of slain former Iranian officials are “dead men walking.”
Danny Citrinowicz, the former head of the Iranian strategic desk at the Israeli Defense Intelligence agency, said that anyone left at the forefront of Iran’s nuclear program “will automatically become targets for Israel as Israel has shown in the past.” Citrinowicz added that he has “no doubt” the scientists are in danger, and that any who work on the program “will be eliminated or will be threatened with elimination.”
Are They Safe?
While Tehran is working to secure the future of its nuclear program by protecting its top nuclear scientists, the likelihood that those scientists are safe in hiding is low. For at least the last 15 years, Israeli intelligence agents have infiltrated the uppermost echelons of Iran’s nuclear program, feeding crucial and sensitive information about atomic bomb preparation, infrastructure building, and more to Israeli intelligence officials.
Given how embedded Israeli intelligence agents are within Iran’s most secretive programs, it is perfectly conceivable that the locations of the scientists in hiding could well be uncovered, and future Israeli strikes on these secure locations could form part of a long-term military campaign to ensure Tehran is unsuccessful in its well-established efforts to build a nuclear bomb.
Among the Iranian scientists killed during Israeli strikes in June was Fereidoun Abbasi, the former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency.
On Friday, June 13, Israeli strikes killed two top Iranian nuclear scientists, along with four other scientists. Over 200 Israeli Air Force warplanes struck over 100 military, nuclear, and infrastructure targets throughout the country, including Natanz – one of Iran’s top three atomic sites.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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