United States Vice President JD Vance has said that the current status of Iran’s stockpile of over 400 kg of enriched uranium remains unclear following a series of airstrikes on key nuclear facilities. Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Vance acknowledged that Iran’s nuclear program had suffered a significant setback but admitted he was “not exactly sure” about the extent of damage, particularly to Iran’s nuclear sites.
“I think those sites were severely damaged or obliterated,” he said, adding, “but I’m not exactly sure.” Trump-Ordered Strikes Aimed at Disabling Iran’s Nuclear Capability
US Strikes Three Iranian Nuclear Sites Storing Enriched Uranium
On Friday, President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow uranium enrichment site. According to the vice president, the main objective was to destroy the Fordow plant and disrupt Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“That was the objective of the mission, to destroy that Fordow nuclear site and, of course, do some damage to the other sites as well. But we feel very confident that the Fordow nuclear site was substantially set back, and that was our goal,” Vance told ABC.
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On Sunday, the US deployed its most powerful conventional bombs, bunker-busting munitions, for the first time in combat. The bombers targeted deeply buried sites such as the Fordow facility, built into a mountain.
Despite Trump’s assertion that all three targeted sites, Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, were “obliterated,” experts suggest otherwise. Satellite imagery showed the presence of 16 trucks at Fordow in the days leading up to the attack. This has raised suspicions that Iran may have moved approximately 400 kg of highly enriched uranium to a different location in anticipation of the strikes.
Has Iran Relocated 400 Kg Enriched Uranium Stockpile?
US officials have privately confirmed the likelihood of such a relocation, according to the reports. Also, Israeli intelligence has backed this assessment. The New York Times quoted Israeli sources stating that while the US strikes caused significant damage, the facilities were not completely destroyed. They also confirmed that uranium and critical equipment had been moved beforehand.
Vice President Vance: Fuel to Be Addressed in Talks With Iran
Vance was asked about the 900 pounds (approximately 400 kg) of 60% enriched uranium stored at Iran’s nuclear facility in Isfahan, to which the Vice President said the US administration would address the issue in the coming weeks.
“We are going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel, and that’s one of the things that we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about,” he said.
Iran Can Make 9-10 Nuclear Weapons From Enriched Uranium It Has: Report
The uranium, enriched to 60% purity, below the 90% threshold required for nuclear weapons, still poses a proliferation risk. A New York Times report claimed that the quantity was sufficient to potentially build nine to ten atomic bombs.
However, Vance maintained that Iran’s ability to weaponize the fuel had been significantly degraded. “They no longer have the equipment to turn that fuel into operative weapons,” he stated.Late last week, Israel also targeted these same three facilities, reportedly killing several Iranian nuclear scientists. Iran, meanwhile, informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on June 13 that it would adopt “special measures” to protect nuclear materials and equipment under IAEA safeguards, in line with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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