The uranium is stored as gas inside canisters, though officials said it remains uncertain how quickly the material could be extracted or transported.
US and Israeli intelligence agencies believe they would quickly detect any attempt by Iran to retrieve or relocate a stockpile of highly enriched uranium buried beneath the Isfahan nuclear site, The New York Times reported Sunday, expanding on earlier reporting by The Jerusalem Post.
The focus is on approximately 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, which remained intact after Israeli and US strikes in June 2025 during Operation Rising Lion.
The operation targeted Iran’s key nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan and damaged dozens of additional sites connected to the country’s nuclear program.