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As Washington and Tehran move closer to a possible agreement over Iran's nuclear programme, Iran has reportedly strengthened protections around its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, potentially making any future retrieval effort significantly more difficult.

According to a CNN report citing five sources familiar with US intelligence, Iran has in recent weeks "collapsed tunnels" leading to its uranium stockpile and "booby-trapped" entrances with explosive mines. The measures have effectively sealed off material believed to be close to bomb-grade enrichment.

Access To Stockpile Becomes More Difficult

The report said Iran's latest actions have made it substantially harder to reach roughly half a tonne of highly enriched uranium believed to be stored underground.

Most of the material is thought to be located in collapsed tunnels at the Isfahan nuclear complex in central Iran, while smaller quantities are reportedly stored at other sites.

The additional fortifications come as Washington and Tehran move closer to a proposed arrangement under which Iran would surrender its enriched uranium for destruction and removal from the country.

US, Iran Move Closer To Agreement

A senior US administration official told reporters on Friday that Washington and Tehran were nearing an agreement requiring Iran to hand over its enriched uranium. Under the proposal, the material would be destroyed on-site before being removed from Iran.

Separately, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that the United States and Iran had agreed on a framework for a peace deal aimed at ending months of conflict in the Middle East.

According to Sharif, a final text has been reached and preparations are underway for an electronic signing within 24 hours, followed by technical discussions next week.

However, uncertainty remains over the exact terms of any agreement.

Earlier US Plans Faced Challenges

The report further stated that the US military was prepared in mid-May to carry out an operation to seize the nuclear material. However, the plan was ultimately deemed too risky.

Since then, Iran has reportedly continued reinforcing the underground sites where the uranium is believed to be stored.

Two sources cited by CNN suggested that US President Donald Trump's public discussion of Iran's uranium stockpile as a potential military target may have prompted Tehran to further conceal and strengthen protection around the material.

Recovery And Verification Could Be Complicated

Even if an agreement is finalised, experts believe recovering the uranium could prove difficult.

“If this reporting is true, it would definitely complicate … retrieving the HEU,” Scott Roecker, who led the National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Nuclear Material Removal from 2017 to 2021, told CNN.

Roecker also warned that Iran's efforts to seal off its uranium stockpile could make it more difficult to verify compliance with any future nuclear agreement.

While Tehran may be required to recover and present its full inventory of highly enriched uranium under a deal, he cautioned that Iran could argue some material is inaccessible, creating uncertainty over whether the entire stockpile can be accounted for.