Washington ( CNN ) -- Supporters of an Iranian opposition group claimed Thursday they have information about another secret facility tied to the Iranian government 's nuclear program . According to Alireza Jafarzadeh , an Iranian-American with ties to the People 's Mujahedeen of Iran , the facility is at a site referred to as TABA , just west of Tehran , and is designed to manufacture parts for centrifuges used to enrich uranium , a key component for civilian nuclear power as well as for nuclear weapons . A U.S. official who is not authorized to speak on the record said the United States is aware of the facility . Jafarzadeh told reporters at a news conference that over the past four and a half years the plant has produced enough parts to make more than 100,000 centrifuges , well beyond the needs for the nuclear facilities declared by the Iranian government to international monitors . He also maintained the site is under the control and supervision of the Iranian Defense Ministry . The International Atomic Energy Agency , which monitors nuclear activities on behalf of the United Nations , has inspected Iran 's declared enrichment facilities , but Iran does not provide details or access to sites where nuclear components are made . Soona Samsami , another supporter of the People 's Mujahedeen of Iran , said the TABA site comprises three main warehouses over an area of nearly 48,000 square meters , or nearly 12 acres . She said the essential parts manufactured there include casings , magnets , molecular pumps , composite tubes , bellows and centrifuge bases . Although satellite photos were shown of the site , no direct evidence was provided other than to say the information was from members of the People 's Mujahedeen organization inside Iran . The same group was the first to provide the details that publicly exposed the existence of Iran 's clandestine nuclear program in 2002 . Iran claims its nuclear program is for civilian energy needs , but the United States and other nations maintain Iran is working to develop fissile material for nuclear weapons . The International Atomic Energy Agency said in its most recent report , in February , that Iran continues to stonewall the inspectors by not providing sufficient information or access to its facilities for inspectors to determine the ultimate purpose of Iran 's nuclear program . Former nuclear inspector David Albright , who has closely followed developments concerning Iran 's nuclear exploits , said he had no information about whether TABA is in fact a secret nuclear site . But he did question the claim that Iran has enough parts to make 100,000 centrifuges . `` There is no way Iran has made components for 100,000 centrifuges , '' said Albright , adding , `` It runs contrary to all indications that Iran has a shortage of raw materials . '' According to Albright , Iran has indicated it wants to have 50,000 centrifuges and has so far manufactured 12,000 to 15,000 of them . Albright believes there is a political motivation behind the Iranian opposition 's claims that leads to exaggeration . He said the opposition supporters challenge international sanctions as a way to highlight their goal of getting the United States to remove the People 's Mujahedeen of Iran from its list of foreign terrorist organizations . At the news conference , Jafarzadeh -- saying that `` the revelations today show the policy pursued by the United States has not been productive in halting the nuclear program of Iran '' -- maintained that only a democratic Iran will succeed in eliminating the nuclear program , and that the best chance for democracy lies with the United States removing the People 's Mujahedeen of Iran from its terrorist list .
An Iranian-American with ties to the People 's Mujahedeen of Iran announces the find . He says Iran uses the site to make parts for centrifuges used to enrich uranium . The United States is aware of the facility , a U.S. official tells CNN .