Iran nuclear weapons update: New uranium stockpiles recorded

 Iran boosted its stockpile of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels just before Israel launched its June 13 military assault, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report obtained by the Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Iran held 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent as of June 13, up 32.3 kilograms from May. That amount is only a short step from the 90 percent threshold needed for weapons-grade material, with the agency noting about 42 kilograms at 60 percent could be enough for one bomb if further enriched.

The IAEA said it has not been able to conduct on-site inspections since the start of the Israeli attacks. The State Department cannot comment on IAEA reports that have not been made public, a spokesperson told Newsweek.

However, the spokesperson said the department is deeply concerned by Iran's suspension of cooperation with the IAEA and will "remain vigilant against any attempts by Iran to rebuild lost capabilities and is prepared take all necessary measures to ensure Iran does not have access to a nuclear weapon."

Why It Matters

Iran's nuclear program has caused international concern. Iran has said that its nuclear program is peaceful, but it is the only non-nuclear-armed nation enriching uranium at that level.

The U.S. military struck three sites in Iran in June. President Donald Trump said, "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran" after the strikes.

"Obliteration is an accurate term!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

A preliminary assessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said that Iran's nuclear program was set back only a few months by the military effort, according to the AP. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the head of that agency, Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, last month, two people familiar with the decision and a White House official told the outlet.

What To Know

The report said that the figure is "based on the information provide by Iran, agency verification activities between 17 May 2025 and 12 June 2025 (the day preceding the start of the military attacks), and estimates based on the past operation of the relevant facilities."

The report also said that Iran and the IAEA have not reached an agreement on resuming inspections of sites affected by Israeli and U.S. bombing in June.

The only site inspected since the war has been the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which operates with Russian technical assistance.

The report said that the withdrawal of U.N. inspectors from Iran "was necessary given the overall security situation," but the Iranian government's decision to stop cooperation with the IAEA was "deeply regrettable."

As of June 13, Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile was 9,874.9 kilograms, an increase of 627.3 kilograms since the previous report in May.

What People Are Saying

Trump, on Truth Social in June: "Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again!"

Vice President JD Vance, on X in June: "It's one thing to want civilian nuclear energy. It's another thing to demand sophisticated enrichment capacity. And it's still another to cling to enrichment while simultaneously violating basic non-proliferation obligations and enriching right to the point of weapons-grade uranium."