Iran is carrying out construction work at its Fordo nuclear facility, satellite imagery obtained by the Associated Press shows, a development that comes as the country’s leaders increasingly signal they are willing meet their commitments under the nuclear deal if the incoming US administration does too.

The new construction comes in the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration, which unilaterally withdrew from the landmark nuclear agreement in 2018 and reimposed harsh economic sanctions on Iran as part of a pressure campaign aimed at securing a tougher nuclear deal. Since the United States abandoned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which required curbs on Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, Iran has openly breached the deal to enrich uranium beyond the allowed quantity limits and purity levels. The JCPOA called for a ban on nuclear activity at the Fordo site, but last year, Iran acknowledged it had resumed uranium enrichment at the facility in violation of the deal.

Iran has also breached its nuclear obligations at its other main plant, Natanz. Satellite imagery obtained by the Associated Press in October appeared to show construction work at the underground facility, which was damaged in a massive fire this summer. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN atomic watchdog, Iran plans to install three cascades of high-efficiency centrifuges at Natanz in another violation of the nuclear agreement. 

Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons and maintains that its nuclear program is used for peaceful purposes only.