In Washington, U.S. officials are exploring options for Iran to dispose of highly enriched uranium without directly transferring it to the United States, according to recent reports.
By the end of this week, the first memorandum of understanding might be finalized, which would establish a preliminary agreement that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and cease further nuclear enrichment. Following that, a tense second round of discussions will tackle the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program.
One idea being considered within the Trump administration involves Iran delivering around 1,000 pounds of nearly weapons-grade uranium to countries like Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, or China, which would then pass it on to the U.S., as mentioned by national security officials on Monday.
“We’re working on finding wording that allows both sides to save face. That’s the nature of negotiations like this,” a source noted.
“The president ideally wants to form a partnership with the United States, but we’re also looking at temporary solutions that could, maybe, lead to more permanent agreements,” they added.
Another proposed approach would have Iran store the uranium in a highly diluted form, based on the idea that its enrichment facilities were damaged during Operation Epic Fury, making further enrichment detectable and unlikely.
This dilution strategy would necessitate strict international oversight and would be a topic for future negotiations.
“These specifics will be settled during the next negotiations,” noted the source.
“I doubt they want to hand everything over. Their primary concern seems to be avoiding a direct transfer to the U.S.,” they explained.
The official suggested, “The initial part of the deal should wrap up soon, but prolonged negotiations raise the risk of outside influences trying to disrupt the agreement.”
Responding to the matter, White House chief deputy press secretary Anna Kelly commented, “Any statements from unverified, anonymous sources should be viewed as unfounded speculation. Any announcements about potential agreements will come directly from the president or the administration.”
Shortly after this, President Trump appeared to affirm the Post’s insights in a social media post:
“Enriched uranium will be promptly sent to the U.S., either returned home to be destroyed or handled with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s coordination,” Trump stated.
Another high-ranking official hinted at a Sunday briefing that, indeed, Iran seems to prefer not to deliver nuclear materials directly to the U.S.
“They have their national pride to consider,” the official remarked.
“It’s politically beneficial for the U.S. to obtain it, but the Iranians prefer not to hand it over directly,” they explained.
“Much of our discussions revolve not only around the fate of uranium supplies but also on how Iran can present this to their own hardliners and citizens while still allowing us access,” they added.
“There’s no debate that the stockpiled nuclear material will be disposed of. The question remains: how do we do that while also ensuring the Strait remains open?” the official emphasized. The hope is to ease economic tensions.
The conflicts began on February 28 with a joint U.S.-Israeli operation that resulted in the death of former supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and left his son Mojtaba struggling to lead a weakening theocracy amidst mass protests.
Trump has made addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions a key objective, while Israel is pushing for further actions against what it perceives as its main adversary.
Republican senators have expressed skepticism about a phased deal, with Senator Lindsey Graham labeling the proposed framework as a “nightmare for Israel.”
Meanwhile, Trump is standing firm on the stance that withdrawal from conflict will not occur unless Iran meets nuclear objectives, including uranium destruction and halting further enrichment.
The White House reiterated on Sunday that no sanctions relief would be granted until Iran first relinquished nuclear materials, summarizing the U.S. stance as “no dust, no dollars.”
“Negotiations with Iran are progressing well!” Trump declared early Monday on Truth Social.
“It’s going to be a significant deal or nothing at all. If not, we’ll escalate, and it will be more intense than before. Nobody desires that!”
During a Memorial Day speech, Trump stressed that “the world’s top terrorism sponsor will never possess nuclear weapons.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmael Baghai stated on Monday, “While we’ve reached a consensus on many issues, it’s premature to claim that an agreement is near.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked in India that discussions remain “active.”
“I believe we are in a strong position to ensure channels remain open. This is a critical period for nuclear negotiations, and I hope we can successfully navigate through it,” Rubio said, remarking on regional support for these talks.
“The president is not rushing. He won’t settle for a poor deal. We’ll see where this leads, allowing diplomacy the chance to play out before considering alternatives.”
