IAEA inspectors secured 73 tons of uranium in Syria, including approximately 55 tons of fuel rods intended for a secret nuclear reactor project. ^[1] On February 28, 2026, President Donald Trump announced US strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury, aiming to destroy Iran's dangerous capabilities and force Tehran to accept Washington's terms. ^[2] On March 2, 2026, President Trump outlined four specific objectives: destroying Iran's missile capabilities, annihilating its navy, preventing a nuclear weapon acquisition, and stopping the arming of militant groups. ^[3] Six months into the war, Tehran has not surrendered, and Washington continues to negotiate over issues that were supposed to have been settled through military force. ^[4] The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's longest-serving Supreme Leader, failed to bring down the government, as the political system absorbed the blow and produced a new leadership structure. ^[5] IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed the existence of the uranium stocks in a non-public report in Vienna. ^[6] The former Syrian government hid a reactor, a nuclear fuel factory, and a storage facility for nuclear material from the IAEA. ^[7] The material was verified and secured by IAEA experts over the past few days and is now under IAEA observation. ^[8]