The head of France's Directorate General for External Security (DGSE), Nicolas Lerner, said the development of all key components of Iran's nuclear program has been significantly delayed since the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran - but the exact location of highly enriched uranium stockpiles remains in question, Reuters reported.

"Iran's nuclear program is not just material. It's highly enriched uranium, it's the ability to convert it from a gaseous state to a solid state, it's the production of a nuclear core and a charge delivery system," Lerner said in an interview with LCI television.

According to the head of French intelligence, each of these stages “very seriously damaged” as a result of recent attacks and “the program as we knew it, postponed for at least a few months.” 

He clarified, however, that only a small portion of the stockpile of highly enriched uranium was destroyed in the strikes, while the rest of the fuel continues to be under the control of Iranian authorities.

"As of today, we have definite data on where it may be, but there is no complete certainty until the IAEA resumes its work in the region. This is critical - without it, we have no way to track these stockpiles," Lerner emphasized.

Previously, other intelligence assessments have also indicated that Iran may be hiding some of its stockpile of enriched uranium and retains the technical capability to restore production.

“This explains why France is so interested in finding a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis,” the DGSE chief added, noting the risk that Tehran could continue working on the program in a covert mode but with less capacity.