A revelation about uranium under the debris of Iran's Isfahan (Isfahan) nuclear facility

The New York Times has reported that American intelligence agencies have confirmed that Iran or another group has the ability to recover high-enriched uranium reserves located under the debris of Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility, which was attacked by the US last year. According to officials citing classified reports, Iran now has the opportunity to access this uranium, stored in gas cylinders through a very narrow entrance, which would be a crucial factor in developing a nuclear weapon.

It is not yet clear how quickly they can move this uranium stock to another location.

American intelligence agencies constantly monitor the Isfahan facility, and US authorities state that they have the capability to respond immediately if any party attempts to remove the uranium. According to current information, Iran possesses approximately 970 pounds of uranium enriched to 60%, which needs to be further enriched to 90% for a nuclear weapon. This would be a relatively easy step if Iran's centrifuges are active. The US used its Massive Ordnance Penetrator against Iran's underground facilities at Natanz and Fordo, and Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched at the Isfahan camp. The Isfahan facility also housed crucial facilities for converting uranium gas into solid metal, as well as a research reactor.

Ensuring the security of these uranium reserves has become a significant challenge for the Trump administration amidst continuous attacks by the US and Israel against Iran. Responding to journalists' questions about whether ground troops would be considered to secure this uranium, President Donald Trump stated that while a ground operation is not currently underway as the US is already destroying them, it remains an option for the future. Officials point out that deploying ground forces or special operations units is highly risky, and therefore, air strikes should continue to weaken Iranian defenses before such a decision is made. However, it is also believed that threatening a ground operation could be one of America's strategies to pressure Iran into abandoning its uranium stockpiles during discussions to end military conflicts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this military decision was necessitated by Iran's extensive underground establishment of its nuclear and missile projects to protect them from attacks. Elbridge Colby, a senior Pentagon official, also mentioned that although detailed information was not disclosed, the US is closely monitoring these uranium reserves.

Before the US attacks in June 2025, Iranian authorities had covered the entrances to the underground tunnel network in Isfahan with soil. High-resolution satellite images obtained after the attack have revealed that Iran attempted to access these underground tunnels by using excavation machinery to remove missile debris and soil. A visual investigations team from The New York Times confirmed this by analyzing commercial satellite imagery, also observing that something had been buried after excavation in an area north of the main facility. Furthermore, researchers from the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) also indicate that extensive soil removal activities occurred in February in the area northeast of the main facility and at the western tunnel entrances. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether this soil was disposed of elsewhere or moved to the tunnel entrances for protection against future attacks.

(Based on The New York Times)