U.S. Completes Removal of 13.5 kg of Enriched Uranium from Venezuela

The U.S. has completed the removal of 13.5 kilograms of enriched uranium from a research reactor in Venezuela, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency said the material was safely and securely transported by land and sea to a facility in South Carolina.

It described the effort as a complex and sensitive operation that has now concluded. The development marks the successful transfer of the uranium out of Venezuela. The material originated from a research reactor and was moved under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that the uranium reached its destination in South Carolina after the multi-modal transport. Officials coordinated the removal to ensure security throughout the journey by land and sea. The agency did not disclose further technical details about the reactor or the precise enrichment level of the material in its public statement.

The operation had been in preparation for some time before the final transfer took place. The announcement comes amid broader international attention on the movement and security of nuclear materials. The International Atomic Energy Agency regularly monitors and reports on such transfers involving member states and partner countries.