Isfahan nuclear facility attacked, large amount of Iran's highly enriched uranium likely still there
According to the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, most of Iran's highly enriched uranium is likely still stored at the Isfahan nuclear facility, which was bombed last year and subjected to a less intense attack this year during the US-Israel conflict.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 22:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 23:01 (31 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 01:53 (2h 52m after Collected)
NEW YORK (CNA) -- The head of the UN nuclear watchdog told The Associated Press that most of Iran's highly enriched uranium is likely still stored at the Isfahan nuclear facility. The facility was bombed last year and subjected to a less intense attack this year during the US-Israel conflict.
The Associated Press reported that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi revealed in an interview yesterday that the IAEA has satellite imagery of the impact of the latest US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and is "continuously acquiring relevant information."
The IAEA stopped inspecting the Isfahan nuclear facility when Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran last June. At that time, the United States also bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
Grossi said the IAEA believes that a large portion of Iran's highly enriched uranium "was stored there when the 12-day war broke out in June 2025, and has remained there since."
Grossi said: "We have not yet been able to inspect, nor can we deny that these materials and IAEA seals are still there. I hope we can do that, so what I'm telling you is just our best guess at the moment."
Satellite imagery shows a truck carrying 18 blue containers entering a tunnel at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center on June 9, 2025, just before the war broke out last June. These containers are believed to contain highly enriched uranium and are likely still there.
Grossi added that the IAEA also hopes to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordo, where some nuclear materials are also located.
Iran is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Grossi said that under the treaty, Iran must open its nuclear facilities for IAEA inspection.
According to the IAEA, Iran currently possesses 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just one step away from weapons-grade 90% purity. Grossi once said that the IAEA estimates about 200 kilograms of highly enriched uranium are stored in the tunnels of the Isfahan nuclear facility.
Last year, Grossi told The Associated Press that if Iran decided to build nuclear weapons, its current inventory could allow it to produce up to 10 nuclear bombs.
Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. US President Donald Trump once said that a major reason for the US to go to war with Iran was to prevent Iran from being able to develop nuclear weapons, but he also insisted that the airstrikes last June had "completely destroyed" Iran's atomic energy program. (Translator: Yang Chao-yen) 1150429
The Associated Press reported that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi revealed in an interview yesterday that the IAEA has satellite imagery of the impact of the latest US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and is "continuously acquiring relevant information."
The IAEA stopped inspecting the Isfahan nuclear facility when Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran last June. At that time, the United States also bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
Grossi said the IAEA believes that a large portion of Iran's highly enriched uranium "was stored there when the 12-day war broke out in June 2025, and has remained there since."
Grossi said: "We have not yet been able to inspect, nor can we deny that these materials and IAEA seals are still there. I hope we can do that, so what I'm telling you is just our best guess at the moment."
Satellite imagery shows a truck carrying 18 blue containers entering a tunnel at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center on June 9, 2025, just before the war broke out last June. These containers are believed to contain highly enriched uranium and are likely still there.
Grossi added that the IAEA also hopes to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordo, where some nuclear materials are also located.
Iran is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Grossi said that under the treaty, Iran must open its nuclear facilities for IAEA inspection.
According to the IAEA, Iran currently possesses 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just one step away from weapons-grade 90% purity. Grossi once said that the IAEA estimates about 200 kilograms of highly enriched uranium are stored in the tunnels of the Isfahan nuclear facility.
Last year, Grossi told The Associated Press that if Iran decided to build nuclear weapons, its current inventory could allow it to produce up to 10 nuclear bombs.
Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. US President Donald Trump once said that a major reason for the US to go to war with Iran was to prevent Iran from being able to develop nuclear weapons, but he also insisted that the airstrikes last June had "completely destroyed" Iran's atomic energy program. (Translator: Yang Chao-yen) 1150429