Report: Iran Making It Harder To Access Buried Uranium
Iran has stepped up efforts to secure its stockpile of near bomb-grade uranium by collapsing tunnels and laying explosive mines around access points, according to five sources familiar with US intelligence, CNN reports.
The measures have made it significantly harder to reach around 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium believed to be stored at the Isfahan nuclear complex and other sites.
This further complicates negotiations between the United States and Iran over a deal that would require Tehran to surrender its enriched uranium for destruction and removal.
A senior US administration official said the sides are moving closer to an agreement, though conflicting accounts from Washington and Tehran have left the terms unclear.
Experts warned the new fortifications could hinder verification and removal efforts.
Scott Roecker, former head of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nuclear Material Removal, told CNN that the developments would “definitely complicate” retrieval of the uranium and could allow Iran to argue that part of the stockpile is “irretrievable.”
The stockpile was previously considered a potential target for a US military operation that was deemed too risky, according to the CNN report.
US President Donald Trump has emphasized the importance of securing the material, saying in May: “We know exactly what’s happening” with the buried uranium and that “nobody’s even gotten close to it.
Even if a deal is reached, removing the uranium could take weeks and require specialist equipment and demining operations.
US Achieved 'Regime Change' In Iran, Says Trump
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the G7 meeting in France on June 17 that the United States had achieved regime change in Iran.
“You talk about regime change, nobody will say that, but I guess it is,” he said. “One set of leaders is all gone, the second set of leaders is all gone. Their third set of leaders is a little bit gone... I think that's regime change.”
Trump added that Iran now has a new group of leaders who are “smarter” and “far less radicalized,” saying he has achieved regime change.
Trump also said the framework deal with Iran will be signed “shortly.” “Tomorrow, maybe the next day,” he said at the G7 news conference, fueling uncertainty over the date.
Earlier, Trump said the agreement would be formally signed during a ceremony in Switzerland on June 19.
He added that a copy of the deal was shared with Israel, which he said was a “good partner,” despite expressing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days.
Trump called him a “good man” but said he gets “a little excited sometimes.” Netanyahu could have “a little softer touch,” Trump said, adding: “You don’t have to knock down a building every time someone walks into it that’s from Hezbollah.”
During the news conference, Trump rejected US media reports that Iran could be given access to a reconstruction fund worth $300 billion as part of the deal to end the war.
“We don’t give them money,” he said. “We don’t give them any of that.”
He said negotiations over a final settlement will cover not just Iran’s nuclear program but “non-nuclear issues,” including Tehran’s “conventional ballistic missiles.”
Trump said he was advised to prevent Iran from having any missiles, but he said, “it doesn’t work that way.”
“They have to have some because other people have some, you’ve got to have some,” Trump added.
The US president also told reporters that he was prepared to “bomb the hell” out of Iran if Tehran violated the agreement.
“If they are not behaving, they will be hit again,” he said. But he added: “They don't want to get bombed, they don't want to get hit.”
First Iranian Crude Exports In 2 Months Leave Hormuz
The first shipments of Iranian crude oil in two months have departed the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-monitoring firm TankerTrackers.com. This comes just days before senior Iranian and US officials are expected to sign a preliminary agreement in Switzerland aimed at ending the war. Using satellite imagery and shipping data, TankerTrackers said it had verified Iran's first crude oil exports since a US naval blockade was imposed two months ago.
Trump Says US Could Resume Military Action If Iran Fails To Follow Agreement
US President Donald Trump said the United States could resume military action against Iran if he is dissatisfied with the implementation of the memorandum of understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, as world leaders hailed the potential end to the war.
Speaking alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 17, Trump stressed that the memorandum was only a preliminary agreement and warned that military action could resume if Iran failed to meet US expectations.
"It's a memorandum of understanding. And if I don't like it, we'll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head," Trump said.
He added: "If they don't behave, we'll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK? Because they misbehaved for 47 years."
Trump also dismissed reports that the United States would invest $300 billion in Iran under the memorandum, saying such claims were false. He said, however, that Washington would not prevent other countries from investing in Iran.
The US president also said the memorandum does not provide for direct US payments to Iran. He further rejected claims that it mandates the immediate lifting of sanctions, saying any sanctions relief would be tied to future negotiations and Iranian compliance.
Iran and the United States announced on June 16 that they had reached a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict. Both sides are expected to formally sign the agreement in Switzerland on June 19.
To read the full report, click here.
Iran's Uranium Stockpile May Put Kazakhstan At The Center Of A Nuclear Deal
As negotiations over Iran's nuclear program continue, the fate of Tehran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains one of the most difficult issues to resolve.
Before US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. While not weapons-grade, the material is significantly close to the 90 percent enrichment level generally associated with the production of nuclear weapons.
The question now confronting negotiators is what should happen to that stockpile as part of a broader agreement between Tehran and Washington. In recent weeks, Kazakhstan has been mentioned as a possible third-party custodian.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said last month that Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev was open to the idea of storing Iranian uranium, and Astana later confirmed its willingness.
To read the full report, click here.
Canada: US-Iran Agreement Could Be 'Game Changer' In Region
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said a deal between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war could be a "game changer" for the region and beyond.
Speaking to reporters on the third day of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Carney said that despite the "risks" involved, "this agreement must be implemented."
Carney added: "The very existence of this agreement -- and the fact that so many countries have participated in its development and have a stake in its success -- will itself generate positive side effects."
In a joint statement issued late on June 16, G7 leaders welcomed the agreement, describing it as representing "important progress and opportunity" for the Middle East.
The statement added that the memorandum of understanding "provides a historic opportunity to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon" and creates a framework for negotiations aimed at addressing broader regional security concerns.
Australia Lowers Security Alert Level For Travel To Middle East
Australia has lowered its travel warning level for several countries in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel, following a preliminary agreement between Iran and the United States to end the war.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on June 17 that the official travel advice for these countries has changed from "Do not travel" to "Consider travel necessity."
Wang, however, stressed that Australians should continue to avoid nonessential travel to the Gulf region, noting that "the security situation in the Middle East can deteriorate rapidly and without warning."
Pope Welcomes Agreement Between US, Iran
Pope Leo XIV has welcomed reports of an agreement between Iran and the United States to end the war. On June 16, he described the accord as the result of "promising efforts in dialogue and negotiation" and expressed hope that it would be formally signed on June 19.
Praising the interim agreement, Pope Leo said "thanks be to God" that the two sides had reached an understanding and voiced hope that it would bring a lasting end to the conflict.
"There are still several issues to be resolved, but it is always better to do this through dialogue and negotiation, rather than by returning to war," he added.
Pope Leo's previous statements criticizing the Iran war had angered US President Donald Trump.
In early April, the Pope condemned threats directed at the Iranian population, saying: "Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable!" He added that the issue was not only one of international law but also "a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole."
The remarks came after Trump warned that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran failed to meet a US deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Sharif University Reports $48.8 Million In Damages During War
The president of Sharif University of Technology says that during the war with the United States and Israel, about $48.8 million worth of damages were incurred by the university's equipment and technological infrastructure, and the amount allocated by the government for reconstruction only covers a quarter of the resources needed by the Tehran university.
University head Masud Tajrishi said on June 17 that the damages represent "a significant portion of the university's technological facilities."
"The university is currently continuing to provide services with minimal facilities, such that some services, including artificial intelligence infrastructure, are unavailable, and the capacity of fast computing has also been reduced to about 10 percent," he said.
The Science Ministry, Tajrishi said, has only allocated $14.6 million in compensation for the university, which only covers about a quarter of the resources needed.
He predicted that within the next year, about 25 percent of the services and facilities lost in the war will be restored.
Sharif University was targeted by US and Israeli air strikes on April 7. According to reports, its computing center, which operates in the field of information and communications technology, was bombed and destroyed in the attack.
Vance: Text Of Memorandum Not Released Due To 'Sensitivities'
US Vice President JD Vance said on June 16 that the US government has not yet released the text of its memorandum of understanding with Iran because of ongoing diplomatic sensitivities involving both Tehran and regional mediators.
Speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance said there were "some sensitive diplomatic issues going on" and that Iran, along with mediators including Pakistan and Qatar, had asked Washington to proceed carefully with the process.
"There are sensitivities in the Arab and Muslim world that we try to be responsive and considerate of," Vance said, explaining the delay in publishing the document.
Vance also emphasized that the memorandum is only a preliminary framework rather than a detailed agreement. "The MoU is about a page and a half, so it is a very general document," he said, adding that key issues would be addressed during a technical negotiation phase.
The vice president suggested the United States is negotiating from a position of strength and could move on if future talks fail.
"If they stick to this agreement, I think it would be much better for the United States and it would be much better for Iran," Vance said.
"But if they don't abide by the agreement, the straits will remain open, we will still have done very significant damage to their nuclear program, and ultimately, we can get on with our lives as a country," he added.
US President Donald Trump said earlier on June 16 that negotiations have entered a second phase, which he described as easier than the first. The 60-day stage is expected to focus on technical issues related to Iran's nuclear program and enriched uranium stockpiles.
G7 Leaders: US-Iran Deal A 'Historic Opportunity'
G7 leaders view the framework agreement between the United States and Iran as a "historic opportunity" to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to a statement issued by group members early on June 17.
The statement says the agreement between Washington and Tehran, which is scheduled to be signed by senior representatives of the two countries at an official ceremony in Switzerland on June 19, has the potential to "bring peace and tranquility to the entire region."
The heads of these countries, emphasizing their support for the implementation of the provisions of the agreement, announced their readiness to help facilitate the process.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the leaders say "the right to free passage without hindrance and the need to pay tolls is the foundation of international trade."
The G7 leaders also emphasized the need to continue negotiations to reach "a comprehensive and unbreakable diplomatic agreement" aimed at confronting "Iran's threats in the region and beyond" and ensuring that "Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon."
Regarding the conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group, the statement emphasized support for Lebanese political efforts to disarm Hezbollah through "an immediate and firm cease-fire," and called for preserving Lebanon's territorial integrity "with appropriate international security guarantees."
Hezbollah is both a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. It is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, although the European Union has only blacklisted its armed wing.
The leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Canada and Japan, along with representatives of the European Union, attended a G7 summit held in the French city of Evian on June 16.