U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday he’s seen no intelligence indicating Iran moved any of its highly enriched uranium to hide it from recent U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“I’m not aware of any intelligence that I’ve reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise,” Hegseth told reporters, pushing back on media and expert speculation.
After the raids early Sunday, analysts pointed to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing unusual activity at the Fordow enrichment site. A line of vehicles was spotted waiting outside one entrance, and a senior Iranian source told Reuters most of the near weapons-grade (60%) uranium had been shifted to an undisclosed location before the strike.
Hegseth challenged those theories, calling a leaked preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment—which suggested the strikes set Iran back only months—a low-confidence report. He cited comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who said newer intelligence shows Iran’s nuclear program was severely damaged and would take years to recover.
The exchange underscores the fog of war that often surrounds high-stakes nuclear assessments. While U.N. inspectors continue to press for full transparency, Washington and its allies debate whether any remaining uranium stockpiles can be reliably tracked.
For young global citizens watching this story, the challenge lies in separating fast-breaking reports from confirmed facts. As the United States analyzes the strike’s fallout, the world waits to see if Iran’s nuclear activities remain exposed—or hidden in plain sight.
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No known intelligence that Iran moved uranium, U.S. defense chief says
cgtn.com
