Iran Could Recover Enriched Uranium Buried Under Isfahan Nuclear Site, Says Israel

Last month, the United States bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, and US President Donald Trump had claimed that the American military had caused "total obliteration" at the sites even though some US intelligence agencies were skeptical about it. However, a senior Israeli official said that Iran could retrieve the uranium buried underground.

In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, the Israeli official, who did not want to be named, said that accessing the uranium buried at Isfahan would be difficult and if Iran tried attempting it, it would be detected and Israel would resume the strikes. He also added that most of the enriched uranium is buried at Isfahan.

According to an assessment by Israel, Iran's nuclear programme has been set back two years, although Iran states that the enrichment of uranium is for peaceful purposes and also denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Just before the US struck Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that every country has a right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

"This is an achievement of our own scientists. It's a question of national pride and dignity," he said.

The Trump administration stands on its declaration that the nuclear facilities had been completely destroyed. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement, "As President Trump has said many times, Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities. The entire world is safer thanks to his decisive leadership."

US intelligence reports had cautioned about the nuclear facilities being damaged, but not completely destroyed. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi told CBS that although the facilities had been "destroyed to an important degree", parts are "still standing". He added, "Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there." 

In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian said that the nuclear facilities were "severely damaged" and "Therefore we don't have any access to them." He added that a full assessment is impossible as of now.