Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has directed that the country’s enriched uranium stockpile must remain within its borders, according to senior Iranian sources. This move hardens Tehran’s stance against key U.S. demands, complicating peace talks aimed at ending the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Thursday that Washington will not allow Iran to retain the material. "We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it," Trump told reporters at the White House.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has similarly insisted that the war will not end until Iran's enriched uranium is removed, its ballistic missile capabilities are dismantled, and its support for proxy militias ceases. Both Israel and Western nations accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, pointing to its uranium enrichment up to 60%. Iran consistently denies these claims.
Iranian officials argue that transferring the uranium abroad would leave Tehran vulnerable to future attacks. Sources revealed deep suspicions in Tehran that the current shaky ceasefire—brokered by Pakistan after U.S.-Israeli strikes in February—might be a tactical pause by Washington to prepare for renewed assaults.
Tehran maintains that it will only engage in detailed nuclear negotiations after securing a permanent end to the war and guarantees against future attacks. Despite the deadlock, Iranian sources suggested alternative "feasible formulas," such as diluting the uranium stockpile inside the country under the strict supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to the IAEA, Iran possessed over 440 kg of 60% enriched uranium before the U.S.-Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities in June 2025. While it remains unclear how much of the stockpile survived, IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi stated in March that over 200 kg is likely stored at the Isfahan nuclear facility. Tehran maintains that the material is strictly necessary for medical purposes and its research reactors.
