U.S. Envoy Says Iran Claimed Enough Uranium For 11 Bombs
Steve Witkoff said Iranian negotiators told U.S. envoys they held 460 kg of 60% enriched uranium, which he said could be converted into about 11 nuclear bombs.
MS NOWExclusive: Diplomats claim Witkoff undermined Iran talks
CBS NewsTrump envoy Steve Witkoff says Iran claimed it had enough enriched uranium to make 11 nuclear bombs
RedStateSteve Witkoff's Description of Negotiations With Iran Is Like a Scene From the Movie 'The Big Short'
PJ MediaThis Bombshell About the Negotiations With Iran Changes Everything
Overview
Steve Witkoff said that Iranian negotiators told him they controlled roughly 460 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, which he said could be converted into enough weapons-grade material for about 11 nuclear bombs.
Witkoff said the 60% material could be enriched to 90% in roughly one week to 10 days and that 20% material could be brought to weapons-grade in three to four weeks, he said.
A Persian Gulf diplomat with direct knowledge of the talks said Witkoff's description was inaccurate and that the Iranians said they were willing to relinquish the enriched material as part of a deal, the diplomat said.
A report said Iran's three main nuclear sites were believed to hold enough enriched uranium to fuel about 12 nuclear bombs, and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi said in an interview that in theory the material could enable manufacture of around 10 weapons.
Witkoff and Jared Kushner conducted three rounds of indirect talks beginning Feb. 6 and concluding in Geneva on Feb. 26, and senior U.S. officials said Iranian negotiators declined to discuss ballistic missiles and the funding of proxy groups, leaving key issues unresolved.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by foregrounding quantitative estimates of Iran's enriched uranium and potential weapon counts, prioritizing official reports and headlines that emphasize threat. they balance alarm with expert caveats (IAEA, DIA) but often place those qualifications after or below the numeric claims, producing an alarm-first, qualification-later narrative.
FAQ
60% enriched uranium is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% enrichment, which could reportedly be achieved in one week to 10 days, and is close to the purity needed for bombs.
Iranian negotiators claimed to hold 460 kg of 60% enriched uranium, enough for about 11 nuclear bombs if further enriched; IAEA estimates around 440-972 pounds (roughly 200-440 kg) pre-strikes, sufficient for 10-12 weapons.
In June 2025, US and Israeli strikes hit Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, halting enrichment and processing, destroying infrastructure like transformers, with debris still visible and no full recovery.
Iranian negotiators declined to discuss ballistic missiles and funding of proxy groups, leaving these key issues unresolved after three rounds of indirect talks from Feb. 6 to Feb. 26.
The stockpile of 60% enriched uranium is unaccounted for with no major movement detected; it was stored at sites like Isfahan tunnels, and Iran may have hidden centrifuges and material elsewhere.
