Did Iran outsmart the US? 400 kg of uranium was removed before the attacks!
A day after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran’s nuclear program had been “completely destroyed”, top US defense officials admitted that they did not know where Iran’s high-grade uranium was at the moment.
Trump’s claim and the truth of defense officials
At a press briefing on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Kane avoided repeating President Trump’s statement and simply said that three targeted sites had suffered “serious damage and destruction”. The airstrikes were carried out by US Air Force B-2 bombers and Navy Tomahawk missiles.
Satellite images showed that Iran’s main target — the Fordow uranium enrichment plant — was hit by dozens of 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs from the US, creating several deep craters in the plant. However, Israeli military reports suggest that the site was severely damaged, but not completely destroyed.
Did Iran secretly shift uranium?
In a NYT report, two Israeli officials have claimed that before the attack, Iran had removed some essential equipment and about 400 kg of uranium from there. This uranium was enriched to 60% — just below the 90% needed to make nuclear weapons. That is, if this is true, then Iran still has the elements with which it can quickly make nuclear weapons.
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) chief Rafael Mariano Grossi told CNN that UN inspectors last saw the fuel about a week ago, before Israel launched the attacks. He said, “Iran has never hidden that they have secured this material.” When CNN asked if he could confirm that the uranium had been shifted, Grossi replied, “Yes.” Where could so much uranium go? According to experts, 400 kg of enriched uranium can fit in about 10 car trunks. That is, it can be easily moved from one place to another, especially when preparations have been made in advance. If it is true that Iran moved its uranium stock to a safe place before Trump’s statements and Israeli attacks, it would be considered a major strategic move. It also shows the failure of US and Israeli intelligence agencies. America’s next move and the world’s attention According to CNN’s report, Trump was considering America’s participation in the Israeli military operation for the last several days. He had told his staff in private discussions that he was willing to join. On Saturday, he took the final decision and ordered the attack.
Now America is watching Iran’s next move. Will Iran attack American soldiers? Or will it accelerate the nuclear program again?
Senator JD Vance told CNN that “this is a very delicate time.” He said that Iran’s strategy will become clear in the next 24 hours.
Was this a haste on Trump’s part?
Some experts believe that Trump carried out this attack under political pressure and now that it is clear that the uranium has already disappeared, the question arises whether America took such a big action on the basis of incomplete information?
No official response has come from Iran yet, but it is certain that they had already ensured the safety of their nuclear stock. This has weakened America’s talk of “complete destruction” to a great extent.
Conclusion
If Iran did indeed remove 400 kilograms of uranium before the attacks, it would be a major strategic defeat for both the US and Israel. It also proves that Iran still has the capability to make nuclear weapons — and the world is heading towards another major crisis.
Will Iran now retaliate or choose the path of negotiation? The days to come will be very important.