By DAYO ADESULU
Iran has reportedly intensified efforts to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium by sealing underground tunnels and installing explosive defenses around key nuclear facilities, according to a CNN report citing multiple sources familiar with United States intelligence assessments.
The development comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, following recent discussions within the United States about possible measures to gain control of Iran’s near bomb-grade uranium reserves. According to the report, Iranian authorities have deliberately collapsed access routes leading to parts of the stockpile and placed explosive mines near tunnel entrances, making any attempt to reach the material significantly more difficult.
Intelligence sources told CNN that accessing approximately half a ton of highly enriched uranium is now considerably more challenging and hazardous than it was just a few weeks ago. The move is widely viewed as an effort by Tehran to prevent any potential foreign operation aimed at seizing the material.
The fortified storage sites could also create fresh complications for ongoing diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran. Washington has reportedly proposed an agreement that would require Tehran to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile for destruction and removal from the country. However, retrieving the material may now prove difficult even if both sides reach a deal.
Much of the uranium is believed to be stored within underground tunnel complexes at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear facility, a site that international inspectors have been unable to access in recent months. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly expressed concern over its inability to verify the exact location and status of Iran’s enriched uranium reserves.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi previously indicated that a significant portion of Iran’s uranium enriched to 60 percent purity—just below weapons-grade level—was likely stored at Isfahan and may still remain there. The agency estimated that Iran possessed about 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to that level, enough to raise serious international concerns about the country’s nuclear capabilities.
Experts quoted by CNN noted that Iran’s latest defensive measures could create challenges not only for foreign forces but also for Tehran itself should it later need to recover or relocate the material. The process of reopening collapsed tunnels and safely removing the uranium would likely require extensive engineering work and carry significant risks.
The latest developments underscore the growing uncertainty surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme as international negotiators continue efforts to prevent further escalation in the region.
