Merz: ‘Over 400 Kilograms of Highly Enriched Uranium’ Still Hidden in Iran

BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued a stark warning about Iran’s nuclear program, stating that over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium remain hidden in the country and that the international community must prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon “as long as that material exists.”

Speaking at a security conference in Berlin, Merz cited intelligence assessments indicating that Iran has not come clean about its nuclear stockpile, and that approximately 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent—just one technical step away from weapons-grade—remain unaccounted for by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“There are still over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium hidden in Iran. As long as that material exists, we must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
— Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany

☢️ The Hidden Stockpile: What the IAEA Knows

The IAEA confirmed in its last quarterly report (February 2026) that Iran’s total stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent U-235 had reached 440.2 kilograms—a massive increase from 274.8 kilograms in August 2025 . An IAEA report dated April 19, 2026, indicates that Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile amounts to 9,245.3 kilograms, a significant increase from 8,294.8 kilograms reported in the previous quarter .

Merz’s statement indicates that Germany’s intelligence services assess that Iran has hidden a portion of this stockpile, or that not all of it has been declared to IAEA inspectors. Hiding enriched uranium would be a direct violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Iran’s safeguards agreement with the IAEA. Such a stockpile could be used to produce four to five nuclear warheads if further enriched to 90% .

⚔️ Merz’s Red Line: No Nuclear Weapon

The Chancellor’s “as long as that material exists” phrasing suggests that he does not believe mere diplomatic engagement is sufficient to neutralize the threat — as long as the physical fissile material remains in Iran, the regime retains the capacity to break out to a weapon.

Merz has previously stated that “Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons,” and his government has supported enhanced IAEA inspections, even as Tehran has limited access to its nuclear sites. Germany has also offered to help negotiate a return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but insists that any new deal must have no sunset clause—a condition Iran has rejected.

🕊️ Khamenei’s Fatwa Under Scrutiny

Iran has long claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa (religious decree) prohibiting the development of nuclear weapons, and that its enrichment program is entirely peaceful. Merz’s statement directly challenges that claim: if Iran has no intention of building a weapon, why would it need to hide 400 kilograms of near-weapons-grade uranium from IAEA inspectors?

Merz also made clear that Germany would not accept a deal that allows Iran to retain its uranium stockpile on its territory, even “under international supervision” — a position that puts him at odds with some European diplomats who have proposed a “storage” compromise, under which Iran’s 60 percent stockpile would be sent to Russia for safekeeping .

🇪🇺 Coordinating with the US

Merz’s sharp warning came just two days before Chancellor Merz will host U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Berlin for consultations on the Iran nuclear file. Rubio is on a five-day visit to Italy and the Vatican this week, before traveling to Germany for a meeting expected to be dominated by discussions of Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz crisis .

Merz is walking a fine line: supporting the U.S. position that Iran must surrender its enriched uranium, while publicly signaling that Germany will not accept a “bad deal” — and that the “400 kilograms” figure means the military option remains a last resort .

📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers

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