On Wednesday, President Trump asserted that no nuclear material had been moved from an Iranian facility, despite earlier internal assessments indicating otherwise before a recent strike.
“We’re the exact opposite. We hit them hard and fast. They couldn’t move anything,” Trump stated during a press conference at the NATO summit, responding to questions about whether U.S. intelligence could determine if any material was relocated from the site.
“If you understand the material, it’s really tricky and dangerous to move. It’s a substance you might call dust, but it’s quite heavy. Very difficult. And those facilities are 30 stories tall,” he noted.
His comments came as he and senior national security officials countered earlier evaluations from his administration, which suggested that damage to three nuclear sites had only returned to a state seen months prior regarding their nuclear aspirations.
Trump maintained that the real impact would push back their program for decades.
There’s ongoing speculation about whether Iran was able to relocate some nuclear materials before the U.S. strike.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), pointed out that the agency lacks information on the whereabouts of 900 pounds of enriched uranium that was taken from the site.
“We don’t have data on where this material is, which is why I’m asking. We assume it’s not just speculation; Iran officially confirmed this to me,” he mentioned.
“It’s quite clear. You’re asking a valid question. Where is this? We want to ensure that we can restart testing activities as soon as possible, which I believe serves everyone’s interest,” he added.
In the hours following the U.S. strike, Vice President JD Vance indicated on Sunday that discussions were underway regarding the handling of Iranian uranium after the attacks.
“We’ll be working on how to manage that fuel in the coming weeks. That’s one of the topics we’re discussing with the Iranians,” Vance shared with ABC’s “This Week.”
Earlier that same day, Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses publicly addressed reports regarding the administration’s internal assessments, insisting that “the site has vanished.”
Trump opened the press conference by reading a statement from the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission.
“This is an official communication, and as you know, they are quite serious entities,” Trump remarked.
