What does Iran lose from damage to advanced centrifuges in Natanz?

Compound which was hit likely more vulnerable than Natanz facility itself.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
The open reactor with fuel rods are seen in a water pool inside the nuclear power plant Muehleberg during a yearly revision in Muehleberg, Switzerland August 16, 2012. (photo credit: RUBEN SPRICH / REUTERS)
The open reactor with fuel rods are seen in a water pool inside the nuclear power plant Muehleberg during a yearly revision in Muehleberg, Switzerland August 16, 2012.
(photo credit: RUBEN SPRICH / REUTERS)
The main harm to Iran from damage to its advanced centrifuges near the Natanz nuclear facility is connected to its future capabilities and options for breaking out to a nuclear weapon, former Mossad chief of analysis Sima Shine said on Monday.
Speaking to the press during a Media Central event, Shine, who now heads the Iran program at the Institute for National Security Studies, acknowledged that loss of advanced centrifuges did not impact the stock of uranium which the Islamic Republic has already enriched, itself enough for at least one nuclear bomb once weaponized.
However, she called advanced centrifuges “very important,” pointing out that most of Iran’s centrifuges enrich uranium at a very slow speed.
This requires a large number of centrifuges – Iran has around 20,000 – to get to a nuclear bomb.
In contrast, even if many of the advanced centrifuges were not currently operational, she said that they “allow for a faster breakout” – and since you do not need as many of them to enrich uranium, “it is easier to hide them somewhere.”
This could matter for making Iran’s program harder for adversaries to hit in the long term.
Shine suggested that “Iran’s program was always… developed in the most secure way and not the most rapid one. They are not in a hurry to get there. They want more and more cards and at the end of the day, they want an agreement… It is better for them to come to the table when they have better cards.”
In terms of an agreement, the former Mossad official also pointed out that the Islamic Republic generally does not give up any new capability it has developed.
Hence, if Iran is anticipating a potential deal with Joe Biden if he is elected US president in November, it would be crucial for Tehran to already have their advanced centrifuges established as facts on the ground which cannot be taken away.
Israeli intelligence officials have also expressed great concern to The Jerusalem Post about the long-term impact of advanced centrifuges – even if damaging them does not take away the nuclear material which Iran has already enriched.
So why would the country that attacked Iran (Israel, the US and the Saudis have all been discussed in the media) go after the advanced centrifuges instead of the already existing and threatening uranium stock? Shine said the attacked facility was likely more vulnerable.