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, transliterated Sazman-e Pazhouheshhaye Novin-e Defa’i and abbreviated سازمان سپند) is a research and development agency of the Iran's Ministry of Defence responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military.[1][2][3] According to Iranian medias, it is the Iranian counterpart of the American DARPA.[2] The organization was reportedly established and led by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh until his assassination outside Tehran on November 26, 2020.[2][4][5]

According to the Israeli officials, later backed up by American intelligence officials, it was tasked with the research and development of nuclear weapons,[6] and took over some of the activities of the AMAD Project.[7] It has been sanctioned by the United States Department of State and United States Department of the Treasury.[8][9] According to the US, it was established in 2011.[7]

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, the organization developed Iran's first COVID-19 testing kits[2] and also FAKHRAVAC, a COVID-19 vaccine.[10]

  1. ^ Gambrell, Jon (2020-11-27). "Iran scientist linked to military nuclear program killed". ABC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  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). 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  3. ^ "Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research". Iran Watch. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  4. ^ "خبرگزاری فارس - سرخط فارس| شهید فخری زاده را بیشتر بشناسید". خبرگزاری فارس. 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  5. ^ "Iranian nuclear scientist gunned down, news agency reports". Los Angeles Times. 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  6. ^ "Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of Iran nuclear program, assassinated". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  7. ^ a b "Additional Sanctions Imposed by the Department of State Targeting Iranian Proliferators". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  8. ^ Brunnstrom, Lesley Wroughton, David (2019-03-22). "U.S. sanctions Iran's nuclear research unit, urges Tehran to negotiate". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-11-27.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  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". home.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  10. ^ Motamedi M (16 March 2021). "Iran starts human trials of its third domestic COVID vaccine". Al Jazeera.