A high-stakes geopolitical puzzle is unfolding in the Middle East following a dramatic U.S. military operation targeting three of Iran’s nuclear facilities last week.
At the heart of the mystery is a missing stockpile of 400 kilograms of enriched uranium—enough, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told ABC News, to produce up to ten nuclear weapons if fully weaponized.
The uranium, enriched to 60 percent purity, is still short of the roughly 90 percent enrichment needed for nuclear weapons, but its disappearance has set off alarm bells in Washington, Tel Aviv, and Vienna, where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is headquartered.
The strike, coordinated with Israeli intelligence, involved the use of six GBU-37 “bunker buster” bombs dropped by American B-2 ‘Spirit’ bombers on three facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
All three sites are critical components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, but Fordow—built deep inside a mountain—is considered virtually immune to most conventional air strikes, prompting the use of deep-penetration munitions.
Trucks Spotted, Then Vanished
Satellite images captured in the days leading up to the strike showed a convoy of 16 trucks outside the Fordow plant, fueling speculation that Iran may have preemptively relocated not only the enriched uranium but also sensitive equipment.
The trucks were no longer visible in post-strike imagery, which showed extensive structural damage to all three sites. American and Israeli intelligence sources suggest that the materials may have been moved to an undisclosed underground location near the historical city of Isfahan, which has long housed some of Iran’s nuclear operations.
However, the exact contents of the convoy remain unverified.The ambiguity surrounding the trucks’ cargo and their destination has only heightened global concern.
U.S. intelligence agencies are working with Israeli counterparts to locate the stockpile, which is viewed not just as a threat but as a strategic asset for Iran in any future negotiations with the West.
IAEA Calls for Urgent Inspections
The IAEA last inspected Iran’s nuclear sites a week before Israel’s initial strikes. Director General Rafael Grossi addressed the United Nations Security Council last week, calling for immediate resumption of inspections.
“It is essential that our work continues without delay,” Grossi said, emphasizing that military escalation undermines the IAEA’s ability to verify Iran’s nuclear intentions. “Our indispensable work is being obstructed, and that endangers diplomatic solutions.”
Grossi’s warning followed mounting international criticism over the lack of transparency regarding the status of Iran’s nuclear materials post-attack.
Does Iran Have Nuclear Weapons?
For years, Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, such as generating energy and conducting medical research. However, Israeli officials have long asserted otherwise, pointing to what they call a “point of no return” in Iran’s nuclear weaponization pathway.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Takht Ravanchi, however, dismissed these claims following the attacks.
“No one can tell us what to do… our program is not up for negotiation under threat,” he said, also hinting that Tehran may withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—a foundational pillar of the global anti-nuclear weapons framework.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members