Think Tank Identifies Intact Natanz Uranium Site as Iran Held 440 kg of 60% Enriched Uranium
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 31
Think Tank Identifies Intact Natanz Uranium Site as Iran Held 440 kg of 60% Enriched Uranium
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 31
Summary
A late-August ISIS report said a separately enclosed, partially below-ground building at Iran’s Natanz complex appears intact and was not hit in the 2025 or 2026 U.S.-Israeli strikes.
The institute said the structure was likely built to store uranium hexafluoride for large-scale enrichment, raising doubts that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was fully destroyed and warning any temporary enrichment ban must require dismantlement.
ISIS had reported in April that Iran nearly doubled its 60% enriched uranium stockpile to 440 kilograms between December 2024 and June 2025, enough to sharpen concerns about a potential arsenal of up to 10 weapons.
The IAEA said the building was already known to the agency and had been regularly inspected before mid-2025, but analysts noted Iran is no longer allowing inspections of bombed facilities, forcing greater reliance on U.S. and Israeli intelligence.
The finding clashes with White House claims that Operation Midnight Hammer 'totally obliterated' Iran’s nuclear facilities, even as Washington expands sanctions under Operation Economic Outcast to block any nuclear rebuilding.