Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact following US strikes on its main nuclear sites, European capitals believe, calling into question President Donald Trump's assertion that the bombing "obliterated" the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.
Two people briefed on preliminary intelligence assessments said European capitals believe 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, at the time of last weekend's attack.
It had been distributed to various other locations, the capitals believe.
The people said EU capitals were still awaiting a full intelligence report on the extent of the damage to Fordow — which was built deep beneath a mountain near the holy city of Qom — and that one initial report suggested "extensive damages, but not full structural destruction".
Senator Murphy coming out of private briefing on the attack on Iran’s nuclear sites: It still appears that we have only set back the Iranian nuclear program by a handful of months… the allegations that we have obliterated their program just don’t seem to stand up…
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 26 June 2025 at 20:35
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