US Envoy: American Forces Destroyed Iran's Three Main Uranium Enrichment Facilities
US envoy Steve Witkoff said American forces destroyed Iran’s three main uranium enrichment and conversion facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, key sites in Tehran’s nuclear program.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The United States’ special envoy to the Middle East said Washington has destroyed Iran’s three main uranium enrichment and conversion facilities, describing the sites as key components of Tehran’s nuclear program.
In remarks to Fox News on Wednesday, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of the United States to the Middle East, said the country had succeeded in eliminating strategic uranium enrichment and conversion facilities inside Iran.
Witkoff stated that the facilities targeted were located in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
He said the sites represented the three main centers of Iran’s uranium enrichment and conversion program.
During the interview, Witkoff said negotiations with Iran had taken place prior to the conflict and were aimed at reaching an agreement that would prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
He noted that US President Donald Trump had preferred reaching a deal and had sent envoys, including Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to negotiate with Iranian officials.
According to Witkoff, Iranian representatives told US negotiators that they possessed 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent.
He said such material could be raised to weapons-grade enrichment of 90 percent within roughly a week to ten days.
Witkoff argued there is no civilian reason to enrich uranium beyond 20 percent unless it is intended for weapons development.
He added that Washington had offered Iran an alternative arrangement that would allow it to operate a civilian nuclear program without domestic enrichment.
The proposal included providing nuclear fuel for civilian use free of charge and allowing international oversight by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
However, Witkoff said Iranian officials rejected the proposal and insisted on maintaining their enrichment activities.
He also said Iran had expelled inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency after the operation referred to as “Midnight Hammer.”
Witkoff said US officials viewed Iran’s nuclear activities as an immediate security threat, arguing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons had been a central objective of US policy.