Overview
- President Donald Trump publicly said the United States will obtain Iran’s highly enriched uranium and likely destroy it, reiterating that Tehran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
- Iranian outlets reported that U.S. negotiators have demanded Tehran hand over almost 400 kilograms of near‑weapons‑grade uranium and concentrate nuclear work at a single site, a proposal Tehran has rejected.
- Reports attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei say the uranium will not be shipped abroad, a stance that officials say has produced the current deadlock in talks.
- Tehran’s reported control of the Strait of Hormuz and threats to close or charge ships there give Iran economic leverage while the U.S. says the strait must remain open for international shipping and claims the restrictions are costly.
- Negotiations continue under a fragile ceasefire with only one formal round of talks so far, and the recent public statements increase the chance of coercive measures or military enforcement if diplomacy fails.