In recent weeks, Iran has stepped up measures to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in Isfahan. Sources familiar with US intelligence told CNN that the tunnels leading to the storage facility have been destroyed and their entrances booby-trapped.
The channel’s sources added that it has now become much more difficult and dangerous to access the uranium stockpiles – including for the Iranians themselves. This would require heavy excavating equipment and demining work.
The removal of uranium stocks from Iran is one of Washington’s demands on Tehran. On 12 June, a representative of the Trump administration stated that the parties were nearing an agreement that would oblige Iran to hand over enriched uranium to the US. It is claimed that it will be destroyed on site and then removed from the country.
However, officials from both sides have previously provided conflicting information about the preliminary agreement, and its exact terms remain unclear.
According to US officials, Iran possesses approximately 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, most of which is stored in underground tunnels at a facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan. The enrichment level is 60 per cent – to produce weapons, this figure needs to be raised to 90 per cent.
According to CNN, in mid-May the US military was ready to carry out an operation to extract the uranium. However, US President Donald Trump called off the operation after being warned that it would likely provoke a harsh response from Iran and prolong the war.