June 26-2025 — Washington D.C
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated on Wednesday that there is no intelligence indicating Iran has relocated or moved its stockpile of enriched uranium following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
Austin addressed speculation that Iran attempted to hide or transfer nuclear materials following coordinated airstrikes targeting military facilities suspected of housing them earlier this month.
“At this stage, there is no credible intelligence to indicate that Iran has moved its enriched uranium stockpiles to secret locations or altered their declared nuclear stockpiles,” Austin noted. “Our monitoring efforts, along with those of international partners, continue – we are keeping a very close watch.”
His remarks came amid intensifying scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear intentions following its parliament passing legislation to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This move has alarmed non-proliferation advocates worldwide, prompting fears that there could be changes to Tehran’s nuclear doctrine.
Suspicion over possible nuclear materials relocation was further increased by satellite images showing increased activity at Fordow and Natanz enrichment sites, though U.S. defense and intelligence officials now suggest much of this may simply be related to regular security procedures or damage control operations following airstrikes.
Austin noted, “we assess that Iran has taken steps to secure its facilities following recent attacks and potential follow-up operations, but that does not indicate movement or concealment of uranium stocks.”
Iran has denied that any damage has been done to its nuclear infrastructure and maintains that its program remains entirely peaceful. Officials from Tehran have accused both America and Israel of conducting an undeclared war, warning Tehran will respond “at its own discretion”.
Austin stated the U.S. commitment to diplomacy while upholding an aggressive defense posture despite these tensions.
He stated, “We remain dedicated to stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons while at the same time supporting diplomatic channels and encouraging it to return to full transparency with international monitors.
IAEA officials have requested urgent access to several Iranian facilities in order to ascertain their enrichment activities and ensure compliance with non-proliferation agreements, yet Tehran has thus far declined this request citing “security concerns” and “sovereignty rights”.
Experts warn that without full IAEA oversight, opportunities for peaceful resolution could narrow.
“Even though Iran hasn’t moved any uranium yet, their lack of cooperation with inspectors creates a dangerous information gap,” according to Rachel Whitmore of Arms Control Association. This uncertainty can lead to worst-case assumptions and miscalculations.
As regional tensions remain elevated, the Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces in the Middle East have been placed on high alert and additional naval assets have been dispatched as preventative measures to the Persian Gulf region.
Washington appears to be taking a cautious approach at present, seeking to defuse further escalation while avoiding provocation–until there is more concrete intelligence from Iran’s murky nuclear landscape.