Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 24: In a startling development that has sent shockwaves through global diplomatic and security circles, 400 kilograms of enriched uranium from Iran has reportedly gone missing following a US airstrike on three of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities. According to US Vice President JD Vance, the missing stockpile—enriched to 60% purity—is potentially enough to build up to 10 nuclear bombs, sparking fears of proliferation or clandestine relocation.
The US strike, executed last week, involved six ‘bunker buster’ bombs dropped by B-2 Spirit stealth bombers on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities. The Fordow site, a heavily fortified underground complex, was specifically targeted after satellite imagery revealed 16 trucks queued outside prior to the attack—vehicles that were nowhere to be seen in post-strike images, leading to concerns that critical materials and equipment may have been moved ahead of time.
According to reports from The New York Times, Israeli intelligence had alerted the United States about the possible movement of nuclear materials. These suspicions are now intensifying following confirmation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that its last inspection at Fordow occurred just a week before the airstrikes, leaving a significant information gap.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, addressing the United Nations Security Council, stressed the urgent need for inspections to resume. “It is essential to verify whether the uranium has been diverted or hidden. Any delay compromises global nuclear safety and derails diplomatic pathways,” he warned. Grossi also criticized ongoing military escalations, cautioning that they are hindering the IAEA’s indispensable monitoring role.
In a dramatic declaration following the bombing, US President Donald Trump, who oversaw the operation, claimed that Iran’s nuclear programme had been "completely and totally obliterated". Trump described the 37-hour military campaign, spearheaded by seven B-2 bombers from Missouri, as a precision success. The B-2s reportedly flew non-stop and radio silent, while a barrage of Tomahawk missiles served as decoys to confuse Iranian radar systems.
Despite Washington’s claims of neutralising the nuclear threat, international observers remain sceptical. The unaccounted uranium, shrouded in secrecy and speculation, continues to raise alarms across intelligence and defense agencies, with many calling for immediate international collaboration to locate and secure the missing nuclear material.
As global tensions simmer and diplomatic channels face further strain, the coming days are expected to see renewed calls for de-escalation and reinforced monitoring mandates to prevent the nuclear threat from slipping deeper into the shadows.