After the United States struck three key uranium enrichment facilities in Iran, there has been growing uncertainty about the country's enriched uranium.
Iran's nuclear stockpile of almost 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 per cent has not been accounted for, with the extent of damage caused to the Fordow facility still not known.
Amid talks about the missing nuclear fuel, US Vice-President J D Vance said that the Iran's uranium stockpile might be buried beneath the three enrichment facilities struck by the US over the weekend.
“Our goal was to bury the uranium, and I do think the uranium is buried…" Vance told Fox News, adding that the US had also wanted to eliminate the stockpile, as well as to destroy Iran's ability to convert the enriched fuel into a nuclear weapon.
The nuclear stockpile currently held by Iran has been enriched to 60 per cent, way below the 92 per cent purity needed to reach the weapons-grade.
However, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Rafael Grossi, said that no one was could at present assess the damage caused at the Fordow enrichment facility, which is buried deep underground.
The only pieces of information which have come forth are open-source satellite images taken on Thursday and Friday last week, which show around a dozen trucks standing outside Fordow enrichment facility.
{{/usCountry}}The only pieces of information which have come forth are open-source satellite images taken on Thursday and Friday last week, which show around a dozen trucks standing outside Fordow enrichment facility.
{{/usCountry}}Two Israeli officials also told New York Times that Iran had already moved a significant stockpile of uranium and other equipment from the nuclear site before the US strikes. After the strikes, Iran had maintained that the sites did not contain any materials that could cause radiation.
‘We’re not at war with Iran, we're at war with Iran's nuclear program'
Vance, in an interview with NBC after the strikes, said that the US was not at war with wIran, but was against the country's nuclear program.
“We’re not at war with Iran…We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” Vance said.
Vance also denied to confirm whether Iran's nuclear sites had been completely destroyed, saying that he did not want to reveal the “sensitive intelligence” the US had gained on the ground. However, he expressed confidence that the strikes had “substantially delayed” Iran's attempts at developing a nuclear weapon, adding that was the goal of the attack.