U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated there is no known intelligence that Iran moved uranium ahead of recent U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities, denying reports of preemptive material relocation. At a Pentagon press briefing, he emphasized that he reviewed all available intelligence and saw nothing indicating uranium was removed from key sites targeted by bunker-buster bombs, including Fordow and Natanz.
President Trump echoed Hegseth’s remarks on Truth Social, dismissing satellite imagery showing trucks near Fordow as unrelated to nuclear movement, claiming any relocation attempt would have been impossible logistically .
Still, conflicting assessments persist. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that most of the 60% enriched uranium had indeed been moved underground before the attack, and European intelligence suggested Iran’s stockpile remains largely intact . The IAEA’s Rafael Grossi echoed these concerns, saying inspectors must return to determine exactly what remains on-site .
U.S. military leaders, including Air Force General Dan Caine and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, maintain confidence in the success of the strikes—even as a preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment indicated they may have only delayed Iran’s program by months . Hegseth labeled the leak as politically motivated and pledged continued transparency from military officials .
With no ground inspections allowed yet, uncertainty remains. Congress has called for oversight, while the IAEA stressed inspections are critical to assessing damage to uranium stockpiles. Once experts return, a clearer picture will emerge.
For now, the U.S. position stands firm: it has no known intelligence that Iran relocated enriched uranium before the strikes. Whether this claim holds true will hinge on what inspectors find—and if Iran complies with inspection demands in the coming days and weeks.
