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Enriched uranium still intact in Iran after attacks

Israel fears acceleration of Tehran’s secret nuclear programme: ‘Fuel accessible to Iranian engineers’

Iran’s underground stockpiles of enriched uranium, close to the threshold needed to build a nuclear weapon, survived the joint attacks by Israel and the United States in June. This was revealed by a senior Israeli official, quoted by the New York Times on condition of anonymity. According to reports, Tel Aviv’s intelligence believes that the material is still accessible to Iranian nuclear technicians.

Israel’s concern dates back to the end of 2024, when, according to the source, activities related to a secret programme to build an atomic bomb intensified. These fears were reinforced by the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah: since then, Mossad has reportedly detected signs consistent with the development of nuclear weapons, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider preventive military action, even independently of Washington.

In the days leading up to the military offensive, which culminated in mid-June with a coordinated attack, US intelligence said it had found no evidence of ongoing militarisation of Iranian stocks, while acknowledging the risk associated with their high level of enrichment.

The United States struck two of the main enrichment sites with bombs weighing over 13 tonnes, while a third facility – where the material could be converted for military purposes – was targeted with Tomahawk missiles launched from submarines.

According to the Israeli official, all available information on the alleged secret programme has been shared with Washington, although the details remain classified. Iran possesses uranium enriched to 60% purity: a level that, although still far from the 90% threshold required for a nuclear weapon, makes a possible transition to military production faster.

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