More Than 400 Kg of Uranium Reported Missing in Iran; U.S. Uncertain Whether Nuclear Facilities Have Been Destroyed

The whereabouts of over 400 kilograms of enriched uranium in Iran remain unknown, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with ABC News on Sunday. While Vance indicated that Iran’s nuclear facilities were likely “severely damaged or obliterated,” he admitted, “I’m not exactly sure.” However, he emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program had suffered a major setback.

Vance’s remarks follow U.S. airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The New York Times reported that 880 pounds (approx. 400 kg) of uranium enriched to 60%—below the 90% threshold for weapons-grade material—had been stored at the Isfahan facility.

Pressed about the current state of Iran’s highly enriched uranium, Vance stated the administration would take steps in the coming weeks to address the issue, saying, “That’s one of the things we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about.”

He clarified that the primary goal of the operation was to destroy the Fordow nuclear site, a fortified enrichment facility buried deep within a mountain. “That was the objective of the mission—to destroy the Fordow nuclear site and inflict damage on other facilities. We’re confident that Fordow was significantly set back, which was our goal,” he said.

Late last week, Israeli forces reportedly struck three major Iranian nuclear sites—Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow—resulting in the deaths of several Iranian nuclear scientists. Despite the sites being heavily fortified and located underground, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the extent of the damage.

Natanz and Fordow serve as Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facilities, while Isfahan supplies the raw materials. Any disruption to these locations could severely impact Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons.

On Sunday, the U.S. deployed its most powerful conventional bombs—bunker-busting munitions—against Iranian nuclear targets, marking the first time such weapons were used in combat. According to Reuters, the bombing likely caused “very significant” damage to Fordow’s underground sections, although the full extent is still uncertain.

One of the most pressing unanswered questions remains the status of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, especially the material stored at Fordow.

Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that, as of June 13, it would implement “special measures” to safeguard its nuclear materials and equipment under IAEA oversight, as provided by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.