Overview
- President Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran’s enriched uranium must either be turned over to the United States for destruction or destroyed in place or at an approved site under the watch of an atomic agency.
- The comment marks a public shift from insisting on U.S. custody to offering a flexible two‑option approach that stresses international witnessing of any destruction.
- Reporting is contradictory about Iran’s willingness to cede the material, with the New York Times saying Tehran had broadly agreed and Reuters quoting senior Iranian sources and state voices saying the Supreme Leader opposes removal.
- Verification and logistics pose major obstacles because inspectors need secure access, agreed chain‑of‑custody rules and technical plans to move or dismantle highly enriched material safely.
- Near‑weapons‑grade uranium is highly concentrated and can be used in a bomb if processed further, so the dispute over custody and inspection will shape the next steps in ceasefire talks and regional normalization efforts.