Washington, USA – Web Desk: Reuters has revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense contacted mining companies just one day before the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and more than 1,000 others.
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the Pentagon requested proposals from companies, universities, and defense consortiums to boost production, processing, or recycling of 13 critical minerals, including nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements. These minerals are essential for semiconductors, advanced weapons systems, communications infrastructure, and other defense applications.
The request, which set a March 20 deadline for submissions, was framed in the context of national security and defense needs. The inquiry came immediately before Israel bombed an underground bunker in Iran where Khamenei was presiding over a high-level security meeting, resulting in the deaths of top defense officials, including the Defense Minister, Army Chief, National Security Advisor, and the head of the Revolutionary Guards.
Neither the White House nor the Defense Industrial Base Consortium responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
