After weeks of intense US and Israeli attacks, Iran is still believed to hold most of the material it needs to build a nuclear bomb. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Iran’s nuclear program has taken serious hits in recent weeks, but key parts of it are still intact. This is now giving Tehran more leverage as talks with the US continue.
Iran’s nuclear program survives despite heavy strikes: Report
Officials and experts cited in the WSJ report say Iran likely still has nearly 1,000 pounds of near weapons-grade uranium. Around half of it is reportedly hidden in caskets inside tunnels deep under the Isfahan nuclear site.
One former US official, Eric Brewer, who worked on Iran policy during the Trump administration, said Iran is unlikely to give it up easily. “Iran is not going to trade those away easily. Its demands are going to be higher than they were,” Brewer said, referring to earlier talks in February.
Damage done, but not complete destruction
According to the WSJ report, US and Israeli strikes have destroyed several important nuclear-linked sites in Iran. These include labs and research buildings that were linked to nuclear weapons work.
They also damaged parts of Iran’s enrichment system, including a site that produces yellowcake, which is a raw material used to make enriched uranium. However, experts, according to WSJ, say Iran still likely has centrifuges and underground facilities where uranium enrichment can continue.
One of the most important sites is believed to be deep inside tunnels at Isfahan, which Iran had declared, but which has never been fully inspected. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it may not even be fully operational.
Another highly protected area mentioned in the report is a tunnel complex at Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, which could allow Iran to carry out nuclear work away from airstrikes.
US and Iran positions remain far apart
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran had shown signs it might be ready to give up its enriched uranium. She said stopping enrichment inside Iran is a “red line” for the US.
US envoy Steve Witkoff has also said Iran could prove peaceful intent by ending domestic enrichment and importing enriched uranium instead. But Iran has long rejected this idea and insists its nuclear program is for peaceful use.
The report also says Donald Trump considered a military operation to seize Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. However, officials warned it would have been risky and complicated, and could have extended the war.
At the same time, Iran has recently gained more leverage through its influence over shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil passage.
Big uncertainty: weapon-building ability
Even though Iran still holds key materials, experts told WSJ, the biggest unknown is how much damage has been done to its ability to turn uranium into an actual weapon. Experts also say Iran has likely never actually built a nuclear warhead, and doing so now would be difficult without detection due to strong US and Israeli intelligence monitoring.
Much of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program happened during a 12-day conflict last year. During that war, the US used Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs on Fordow and Natanz, two major enrichment sites. It also launched Tomahawk missiles that destroyed nuclear-related buildings in Isfahan.
Recently, the US has mainly focused on Iran’s missile systems and launchers. Officials said this was meant to reduce the risk of Iran using conventional weapons against future nuclear strikes. Israel, meanwhile, directly targeted nuclear sites and related facilities.
Israeli forces struck labs, a university, a facility outside Tehran, and a building in the Parchin military area where explosives tests were being carried out. They also targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, as they did in the earlier conflict.
Long talks, but no breakthrough
Vice President JD Vance said the US delegation met Iranian officials in Pakistan for about 21 hours on Saturday, but the meeting ended without any deal. He said the US made its position very clear. “We go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement, we’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on,” Vance said.
Vance also repeated that the US will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Still, Vance said he was not closing the door completely. He said he returned with what he called a “very simple proposal,” and added, “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”