Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research

Not to be confused with Self Powered Neutron Detector (SPND).

The Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research or S.P.N.D. (Persian: سازمان پژوهش‌های نوین دفاعی, romanized: Sazman-e Pazhouheshhaye Novin-e Defa’i and abbreviated سازمان سپند) is a research and development agency of Iran's Ministry of Defence responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military.[1][2][3] According to Iranian media, it is the Iranian counterpart of the American DARPA.[2]

History

According to the US, it was established in 2011.[4] The organization was reportedly established and led by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, until his assassination outside Tehran on November 26, 2020.[2][5][6]

According to the Israeli officials, later backed up by American intelligence officials, it was tasked with the research and development of nuclear weapons,[7] and took over some of the activities of the Iranian nuclear weapon development AMAD Project.[4] It has been sanctioned by the United States Department of State and United States Department of the Treasury.[8][9]

According to Al Jazeera, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, it developed Iran's first COVID-19 testing kits[2] and also FAKHRAVAC, a COVID-19 vaccine that reached clinical trials.[10]

References

  1. ^ Gambrell, Jon (27 November 2020). "Iran scientist linked to military nuclear program killed". ABC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d دانشمندی پرافتخار اما گمنام که اشبه‌الناس به شهید چمران و طهرانی مقدم بود/ رییس اولین DARPA جهان اسلام عاشق فلسفه و حافظ +عکس. مشرق نیوز (in Persian). 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research". Iran Watch. Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control. 22 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Additional Sanctions Imposed by the Department of State Targeting Iranian Proliferators". U.S. Department of State (Press release). 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  5. ^ شهید فخری زاده را بیشتر بشناسید. Fars News Agency (in Persian). 28 November 2020. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  6. ^ Bulos, Nabih; Tarnopolsky, Noga (27 November 2020). "Iranian nuclear scientist gunned down, news agency reports". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of Iran nuclear program, assassinated". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  8. ^ Wroughton, Lesley; Brunnstrom, David (22 March 2019). "U.S. sanctions Iran's nuclear research unit, urges Tehran to negotiate". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  9. ^ "U.S. Government Sanctions Organizations and Individuals in Connection with an Iranian Defense Entity Linked to Iran's Previous Nuclear Weapons Effort". U.S. Department of the Treasury (Press release). 22 March 2019. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  10. ^ Motamedi, Maziar (16 March 2021). "Iran starts human trials of its third domestic COVID vaccine". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
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