Major construction ongoing near Iran missile bases, satellite images suggest

Iran appears to be carrying out large‑scale construction near at least two major missile sites and repairing bases that have suffered months of US and Israeli air strikes, satellite imagery taken in November shows, analysts from British intelligence firm MAIAR told BBC Verify.

The November images reveal digging and new buildings at the Garmdareh military base in Karaj, close to Tehran, and at the Shahroud base in northern Iran. MAIAR also identified repair activity at more than a dozen other military locations, including new roofs on destroyed structures at the Kermanshah missile base near the Iraqi border and cleared debris at the Parchin military complex east of Tehran.

Former CIA Iran specialist Jim Lamson said the excavations near Shahroud could relate to missile production, adding that the nearby air base has been hit repeatedly and the IRGC is likely trying to shift its production underground. A MAIAR analyst noted Iran has "a pattern of moving infrastructure underground to protect them from further strikes", while defence analyst Mark Mellett said underground construction makes it harder for outside observers to gauge operational status.

Analysts also observed that substantial work appears finished at the Taleghan 2 facility within the Parchin complex, where damaged buildings have been levelled and an underground bunker reinforced with concrete after earlier attacks. Across the country, Iranian forces have concentrated on small‑scale repairs to sites heavily damaged since the start of the US‑Israeli war.

Speculation that the United States may restart attacks on Iran has risen after the recent US mid‑term elections. On Wednesday, Vice‑President JD Vance linked the war’s unpopularity with voters to the Republicans’ poor poll performance, suggesting it could cost the party control of the Senate "for the next 6 years", according to his remarks.