Latest news with #HighlyEnrichedUranium
Asharq Al-Awsat
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
French Intelligence Chief: No Certainty on Whereabouts of Iran's Uranium Stocks
France's intelligence chief said on Tuesday that all aspects of Iran's nuclear program have been pushed back several months after American and Israeli air strikes, but there is uncertainty over where its highly-enriched uranium stocks are. "The Iranian nuclear program is the material, it is highly-enriched uranium, it is a capacity to convert this uranium from the gaseous phase to the solid phase. It is the manufacturing of the core and it is the delivery," Nicolas Lerner, who heads the DGSE intelligence service, told LCI television. "Our assessment today is that each of these stages has been very seriously affected, very seriously damaged and that the nuclear program, as we knew it, has been extremely delayed, probably many months." Lerner, who was speaking for the first time on national television, said a small part of Iran's highly-enriched uranium stockpile had been destroyed, but the rest remained in the hands of the authorities. "Today we have indications (on where it is), but we cannot say with certainty as long as the IAEA does not restart its work. It's very important. We won't have the capacity to trace it (the stocks)," Lerner said. Other intelligence assessments have also suggested that Iran retains a hidden stockpile of enriched uranium and the technical capacity to rebuild. Lerner echoed those comments saying there was a possibility Iran could press ahead with a clandestine program with smaller enrichment capacities. "That's why France is so attached to finding a diplomatic solution to this nuclear crisis," he said.
Japan Times
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
No known intel that Iran moved uranium, says U.S. defense chief in fiery presser
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes, amid continuing questions about the state of Iran's nuclear program. U.S. military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time using more than a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. The results of the strikes are being closely watched to see how far they may have set back Iran's nuclear program, after U.S. President Donald Trump said it had been obliterated. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth told an often fiery news conference. Trump, who watched Hegseth's exchange with reporters, echoed his defense secretary, saying it would have taken too long to remove anything. "The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of (the) facility," Trump wrote on his social media platform, without providing evidence. Several experts have cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes, and could be hiding it in unknown locations. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source said Sunday that most of the 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the attack. Uranium whereabouts The Financial Times, citing European intelligence assessments, reported that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact since it was not concentrated at Fordow. During the same news briefing as his comments denying such claims, Hegseth also accused journalists of downplaying the success of the strikes following a leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months. He said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged and would take years to rebuild. U.S. senators briefed later on Thursday by Ratcliffe, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was clear the strikes had damaged Iran's nuclear facilities, though it would take time to assess by how much. "I will say it was not part of the mission to destroy all their enriched uranium or to seize it or anything else," Republican Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas told reporters after the classified briefing, adding that he was confident the mission was "extraordinary." Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Intelligence Committee Democrat, said the only way to be certain about Iran's nuclear capabilities was to have inspectors on the ground. "It was clear, and again, this is long before this brief, that some of the enriched uranium was never going to be taken out by a bunker-buster bomb, so some of that obviously remains," Warner said. Tulsi Gabbard, who normally would conduct such briefings as director of national intelligence, did not participate. Trump said last week that she was wrong in suggesting there was no evidence Iran was building a nuclear weapon. The four officials were due to brief the House of Representatives on Friday. Senators are expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval for strikes against Iran, which is not expected to be enacted. At the Pentagon news conference, Hegseth described the strikes as "historically successful." His comments came after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would respond to any future U.S. attack by striking American military bases in the Middle East. Khamenei claimed victory after 12 days of war, and promised Iran would not surrender despite Trump's calls. Media 'hatred' During the news conference, Hegseth criticized the media, without evidence, for having an anti-Trump bias. "It's in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad," Hegseth said. "There are so many aspects of what our brave men and women did that ... because of the hatred of this press corps, are undermined," he said. Trump praised Hegseth's news conference as: "One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!" On X, Hegseth thanked Trump for his praise. During the news conference, Caine, the top U.S. general, largely stuck to technical details, showing a video testing the bombs on a bunker like the ones struck on Sunday. Caine declined to provide his own assessment of the strike, deferring to the intelligence community. He denied being under pressure to present a more optimistic view of the U.S. strikes and said he would not change his assessment due to politics. Uniformed military officials are supposed to remain apolitical. "I've never been pressured by the president or the secretary to do anything other than tell them exactly what I'm thinking, and that's exactly what I've done," Caine said.
Malay Mail
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
US defence chief: No evidence Iran moved uranium before US strikes
WASHINGTON, June 27 — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from US strikes, amid continuing questions about the state of Iran's nuclear programme. US military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time using more than a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. The results of the strikes are being closely watched to see how far they may have set back Iran's nuclear programme, after President Donald Trump said it had been obliterated. 'I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise,' Hegseth told an often fiery news conference. Trump, who watched Hegseth's exchange with reporters, echoed his defense secretary, saying it would have taken too long to remove anything. 'The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of (the) facility,' Trump wrote on his social media platform, without providing evidence. Several experts have cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes, and could be hiding it in unknown locations. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing 'unusual activity' at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the 60 per cent highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the attack. Whereabouts of uranium The Financial Times, citing European intelligence assessments, reported that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact since it was not concentrated at Fordow. Hegseth's comments denying such claims came at the news briefing where he also accused journalists of downplaying the success of the strikes following a leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months. He said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear programme was severely damaged and would take years to rebuild. US senators briefed later on Thursday by Ratcliffe, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was clear the strikes had damaged Iran's nuclear facilities, though it would take time to assess by how much. 'I will say it was not part of the mission to destroy all their enriched uranium or to seize it or anything else,' Republican Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas told reporters after the classified briefing, adding that he was confident the mission was 'extraordinary.' Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Intelligence Committee Democrat, said the only way to be certain about Iran's nuclear capabilities was to have inspectors on the ground. 'It was clear, and again, this is long before this brief, that some of the enriched uranium was never going to be taken out by a bunker-buster bomb, so some of that obviously remains,' Warner said. Tulsi Gabbard, who normally would conduct such briefings as director of national intelligence, did not participate. Trump said last week that she was wrong in suggesting there was no evidence Iran was building a nuclear weapon. The four officials were due to brief the House of Representatives on Friday. Senators are expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval for strikes against Iran, which is not expected to be enacted. At the Pentagon news conference, Hegseth described the strikes as 'historically successful.' His comments came after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would respond to any future US attack by striking American military bases in the Middle East. Khamenei claimed victory after 12 days of war, and promised Iran would not surrender despite Trump's calls. Media 'hatred' During the news conference, Hegseth criticised the media, without evidence, for having an anti-Trump bias. 'It's in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad,' Hegseth said. 'There are so many aspects of what our brave men and women did that ... because of the hatred of this press corps, are undermined,' he said. Trump praised Hegseth's news conference as: 'One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!' On X, Hegseth thanked Trump for his praise. During the press conference, Caine, the top US general, largely stuck to technical details, showing a video testing the bombs on a bunker like the ones struck on Sunday. Caine declined to provide his own assessment of the strike, deferring to the intelligence community. He denied being under pressure to present a more optimistic view of the US strikes and said he would not change his assessment due to politics. Uniformed military officials are supposed to remain apolitical. 'I've never been pressured by the president or the secretary to do anything other than tell them exactly what I'm thinking, and that's exactly what I've done,' Caine said. — Reuters
Reuters
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
No known intelligence that Iran moved uranium, US defense chief says
WASHINGTON, June 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program over the weekend. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth said. After the strikes, several experts also cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of Fordow before the strike early Sunday morning and could be hiding it and other nuclear components in locations unknown to Israel, the U.S. and U.N. nuclear inspectors. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the near weapons-grade 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the U.S. attack. Hegseth's comments denying those claims came at a news briefing where he accused the media of downplaying the success of U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program following a leaked, preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months. Hegseth said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, said it had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged by recent U.S. strikes, and that it would take years to rebuild.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Netanyahu's Iran strike 'golden opportunity' as Trump 'unable to control him'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels emboldened to act against Iran because he believes he can control Donald Trump - and he will now move to assert Israel's dominance over the Middle East Donald Trump is unable to control Israel's President Benjamin Netanyahu as he lays waste to Iran's nuclear facilities today, an expert has warned. Yesterday, Netanyahu released a video statement in which he declared the ongoing aerial assault as a way to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival". A report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency suggested that Iran is no longer abiding by its commitment to only use its uranium enrichment programme for civilian purposes. The "threat" Netanyahu refers to is the fears echoed by the IAEA that Tehran could already have enough Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) to build 10 nuclear warheads. "In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before, steps to weaponise this enriched uranium," he said. "If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year. It could be within a few months, less than a year. This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival." The attack commenced within hours of dealmaker Trump saying the talks planned for the weekend were set to continue, raising questions over Netanyahu's timing. Professor Anthony Glees, a renowned international defence and security expert, explained this is a "golden opportunity" for Netanyahu to completely destroy the Islamic Republic and assert dominance over the wider region, all under the pretense of keeping Israel safe from Iranian warheads. "Netanyahu has made it clear that he is throwing everything into the destruction of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He's accusing it of preparing to wipe out Israel with nuclear weapons (he says they could make 9 atomic bombs in a 'few months' even a 'very short time') and he won't repeat the errors of the last century when no one took the threat of Nazi extermination of the Jews seriously," he tells The Mirror. "Netanyahu realises that he has a golden opportunity now that Biden and Blinken have gone to redraw the map of the Middle East and assert Israel's total control of the entire region." "He feels he's in a position to manipulate Trump because, although it's clear neither Trump nor Rubio wanted him to strike, neither of them are able politically to control him," he added. During his video, Netanyahu likened Israel to the US state of New Jersey - which Professor Glees believes was a nod to the American audience, who he believes support him fully. Professor Glees believes its unlikely Netanyahu's plan will backfire and he won't get the dominance or security he seeks. It's also likely that the public in other Arab states will not stand for Israel decimating Iran, forcing leaders to act and form a league against Israel. He said: "My guess is that Operation Rising Lion will not sort the problem of Israel's security. Israel cannot even defeat Hamas in Gaza let alone take on a united Arab front. The Iranian counter-attack may kill many Israelis over the next hours and days."
