Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Discloses Where Iran’s 440 kg Nuclear Stockpile Is Kept

New Delhi: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has shared new details about the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, saying it is currently located at nuclear sites that were damaged during recent military strikes. His statement comes at a time when global attention is once again focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

According to Araghchi, around 440 kilograms of uranium- enriched to a high level - remains inside facilities that were hit during attacks in the past. He explained that much of this material is now trapped under debris after parts of these sites were destroyed. Because of the damage, accessing the stockpile is not easy at the moment.

He made it clear that Iran is aware of where the material is, and that it has not been moved out secretly. However, he also said there is no immediate plan to recover it from under the rubble. This suggests that the situation is being handled carefully, possibly due to safety concerns as well as political reasons.

Experts say uranium enriched to this level is close to what is needed for nuclear weapons, though it still requires further processing. This is why such a stockpile always draws international concern. The International Atomic Energy Agency has been monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities for years, but access to some of these damaged sites is now limited.

Araghchi added that if Iran decides to retrieve the material in the future, it may do so under international supervision. This could involve coordination with global agencies to ensure transparency and avoid further tension.

Iran has long said that its nuclear programme is for peaceful use, like energy and research. But countries like the United States and Israel remain suspicious and continue to keep a close watch.

This latest statement does not change the ground reality immediately, but it does highlight one key issue - the nuclear material exists, its location is known to Iran, and for now, it is lying untouched in damaged facilities. 

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