Iran Hide 400 Kg of Uranium: Before the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran’s three nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Iran may have secretly moved 400 kg of uranium to a hidden location. The stockpile, enough to produce nine or ten atomic bombs, was reportedly stored in special barrels that could fit into the boots of nearly ten cars.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the missing uranium. They believe it could serve as Iran’s powerful bargaining chip in future peace talks. Vance told the media that near-bomb-grade uranium will become a central topic in any negotiations with Iran. “We are going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel,” he said. “That’s one of the things we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about.”

400 Kg of Uranium: 

However, the vice president noted that Tehran no longer had the means to convert that fuel into operational weapons, indicating that the US airstrikes had seriously hampered Iran’s strategy. Iran has “no secret that they have protected this material,” Grossi told the media in the meantime. He later acknowledged via text message to the international media that he was talking about the actual 400-kg uranium stash. The IAEA chairman also told the international media that his UN team inspectors had last seen the item about a week before Israel attacked Iran.

Also Read: How India Stores Crude Oil in Caves to Tackle Crisis Mode

Uranium Stockpile:
The stockpile’s enriched content is 60%, which is less than the typical 90% needed to create an atomic weapon. The object had been kept close to Isfahan, deep within another nuclear complex. Maxar Technologies produced satellite photographs that revealed significant damage at all three nuclear plants, including dust, damaged buildings, and noticeable holes. US President Donald Trump has praised the 30,000-pound bombs delivered on the sites by the stealth aircraft on many occasions, claiming that the action “obliterated” Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Israeli Strikes in Iran:

Tel Aviv and Washington launched Israeli strikes to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The Israeli military’s preliminary assessment revealed that the U.S. strikes failed to destroy the targeted locations, despite causing visible damage. Satellite images of Fordow taken before and after the U.S. bombing sparked debate, raising questions about whether Iran outmaneuvered both Israel and the U.S.

The pre-attack images showed 16 cargo trucks parked near an entrance. However, the satellite image taken afterward showed no trace of the vehicles. Media reports, citing U.S. sources, stated that the trucks appeared to move unknown materials about 0.5 miles away, arriving and departing repeatedly over 24 hours. Officials confirmed that U.S. and Israeli intelligence had tracked the movement at the time. However, they chose to delay action and waited for former President Donald Trump’s order to launch the strikes. According to international media reports, Iranian authorities evacuated all three nuclear sites before the attacks.

Also Read: Iran’s Nuclear Program: A 70-Year Struggle Ends in Destruction

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