Official unsure of where Iran's enriched uranium is stored

WASHINGTON (AP) — A State Department official told lawmakers Thursday he was unsure of the precise location of tons of low-enriched uranium shipped out of Iran on a Russian vessel as part of the landmark nuclear agreement.

Following the hearing, a senior administration official said the Iranian stockpile is in Russia, where it will be stored in a secure location.

The low-enriched uranium is suitable mainly for generating nuclear power and needs substantial further enrichment for use in the core of a nuclear warhead.

Unable to prevent the nuclear deal from moving forward, congressional Republicans are stepping up their scrutiny of the pact to ensure Tehran is held accountable for any violations and also is punished for hostile behavior ranging from ballistic missile tests to human rights abuses.

In recent weeks, Iran has flown a surveillance drone over a U.S. aircraft carrier and captured 10 U.S. Navy sailors who entered Iranian territorial waters near Farsi Island, an outpost in the middle of the Persian Gulf.

The Obama administration imposed new sanctions against 11 individuals and entities involved in Iran's ballistic missile program last month, a day after implementation of the nuclear deal.