Iran's uranium stock largely intact, say European officials
Iran's uranium stock has remained largely intact following US and Israeli strikes on the country, European officials have reportedly said.
Citing preliminary intelligence reports, two European officials told the Financial Times that Iran’s stockpile of 408kg of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels was not concentrated in Fordow, one of its two main enrichment sites.
The reports said it had been distributed to various other locations across the country.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that just five days into the war, its inspectors lost track of Iran’s uranium stocks. That amount, which could be easily transported in a container by truck, is enough for 10 nuclear warheads if Iran were to pursue weaponisation.
Before Israel’s attack, Iran and the US were in talks to curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday, after hostilities ended, that his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme.
Since launching strikes on Iran over the weekend, Trump has moved to de-escalate tensions. He thanked Iran on Monday for providing advance notice about its retaliatory strike on the US’s al-Udeid military base in Qatar.
Trump then announced a ceasefire a few hours after the attack. On Tuesday, he lashed out at both Israel and Iran when the truce appeared to wobble, saying the two foes "have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they’re doing”.
Speaking at the Nato summit on Wednesday, Trump said both Iran and Israel were “tired, exhausted” and “satisfied to go home and get out”.
He also said he would have no problem with Iran selling its oil to China. The US slapped sanctions on Iran's oil sales to Beijing during the nuclear talks.
“They just had a war. They fought it bravely. They are in the oil business… they are going to need money to put that country back into shape…. If they are going to sell oil, they are going to sell oil,” Trump said.
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