Iran may have moved enriched uranium before US strike, raising fears of secret nuclear effort

An unnamed Iranian regime insider told the Financial Times that it would have been “naive” to store the enriched uranium at the bombed sites of Natanz, Fordow, or Isfahan. “The enriched uranium is untouched now,” he said. If true, the strike may have inflicted physical damage without significantly setting back Iran’s nuclear capability.

Iran’s senior adviser Ali Shamkhani seemed to echo this defiant posture, writing on X: “Even if nuclear sites are destroyed, [the] game isn’t over. Enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.” Though Iran continues to claim that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, officials have recently hinted that the doctrine could shift in response to continued attacks.

Bombed sites suffered damage, but not full disruption

US officials confirmed that Fordow and Natanz were hit by 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs, while the Isfahan facility was struck by dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Satellite images show extensive surface damage, especially around ventilation shafts at Fordow, which could compromise the underground halls housing centrifuges. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been unable to inspect the facilities since the bombings began, leaving a critical gap in verification.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi acknowledged that while there was “significant physical damage,” the agency cannot yet assess how much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure survived. Without ground access, it is also unclear whether any enriched uranium was destroyed or simply relocated.

Experts warn of covert rebuilding effort

Some nuclear experts say the attack may only encourage Iran to deepen its secrecy. “There is no military solution that will completely eliminate this programme,” said Dana Stroul, a former Pentagon official. Others point out that Iran already possesses the knowledge, personnel, and some equipment to restart enrichment covertly. Israeli intelligence has warned of clandestine facilities and hidden centrifuge production lines that could support a smaller, secret programme.

What comes next may be harder to stop

The US administration has said it remains open to diplomacy, but with inspections stalled and Iran vowing “everlasting consequences,” the path to a peaceful resolution appears narrower than ever. As Crisis Group analyst Ali Vaez noted, “If the programme survives, it’ll either become a clandestine weapons programme or, in case of a deal, a neutered civilian programme without access to nuclear fuel cycle technology.”

In the aftermath of a dramatic military campaign, the future of Iran’s nuclear ambitions—and global efforts to contain them—may once again depend on intelligence, diplomacy, and the uncertain location of a few hundred kilograms of enriched uranium.