A satellite image of Iran's Natan nuclear facility south of Tehran in 2020
Image: AFP
Stuxnet was developed by Israel and the United States. But who introduced the virus into the shielded facility of the Iranian nuclear program? An investigative report provides new insights.
IIn 2009, mysterious incidents occurred at an Iranian uranium enrichment plant. The technicians in the Natans complex suddenly lost control of their control units. Rotors became independent and pressure valves remained closed – destroying up to a thousand centrifuges. A year later it emerged that a computer virus was responsible: Stuxnet. It quickly became clear that the United States and Israel were behind the secret operation called the “Olympics.” But who introduced the virus into the system whose control technology was not connected to the Internet?
A good four years ago, a Dutch investigative journalist revealed that the Dutch secret service AIVD played a crucial role. Huib Modderkolk explained in a book how the AIVD recruited a Dutch engineer who managed to break into the hermetically sealed facility and collect important information that was necessary for programming the complex virus. Now Modderkolk has revealed new details in the newspaper “de Volkskrant”. He identifies the spy for the first time and claims that he was the one who brought the virus to Natans.
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