The New York Times on Sunday expanded on a September 2025 exclusive by The Jerusalem Postregarding the ability of intelligence agencies to catch the Iranians with their remaining 60% enriched uranium if they tried to access it for use. Previously, the Post reported that the Mossad had a sufficient handle on the location of Iran’s enriched uranium – not struck during June 2025’s Operation Rising Lion – and could intervene if Tehran appeared to be trying to use that uranium to move in the direction of a nuclear weapon.
Further, the Post noted that the Mossad would place a heavy focus on the issue until, at a minimum, the Islamic Republic granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to nuclear inspectors.
During the June 2025 operation, Israel and the US destroyed much of Iran’s three major nuclear facilities – Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. They also damaged dozens of other nuclear facilities.
During the June 2025 operation, Israel and the US destroyed much of Iran’s three major nuclear facilities – Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. They also damaged dozens of other nuclear facilities.
However, a major dispute and source of speculation was the 60% enriched uranium – 400 kilograms worth of close-to-weapons-grade material – that was not destroyed by Israel and the US during Operation Rising Lion. In theory, this volume of 60% enriched uranium could be further enriched and used to produce around half a dozen nuclear bombs. In late June 2025, some Israeli critics claimed that the Islamic Republic could even rush out a nuclear bomb in a matter of months, since the uranium had not been struck. (Read More)
