In recent weeks, Iran has dramatically escalated efforts to seal off its cache of near bomb-grade uranium, deliberately collapsing tunnels and booby-trapping entrances with explosive mines, according to five sources familiar with U.S. intelligence.
Getting to the roughly half-a-ton of highly-enriched uranium is now far more difficult, dangerous and time-consuming than it already was just a month ago, CNN reported, citing sources.
Even for the Iranians themselves, several of the sources said, removing the enriched material would now be difficult and dangerous. It would require heavy excavation equipment and de-mining efforts - which are difficult and risky
In mid-May, the military was prepared to conduct an operation to seize the nuclear material that was ultimately deemed to be too high-risk. But in the time since then, Iran has only further fortified the sites where its highly enriched uranium is believed to be buried underground.
