President Trump Firm on No Uranium Enrichment for Iran: States Meet at an Impasse
Trump states that Iran will not be permitted to enrich uranium
Get the skinny on the ongoing US-Iran negotiations and the hang-up on uranium enrichment.
A potential US-Iran nuclear deal does not involve uranium enrichment, according to President Trump. In the current proposed agreement, Washington would not permit uranium enrichment, Trump declared via his online platform Truth Social, following a report by news outlet Axios stating that Washington's offer allows for limited uranium enrichment in Iran, albeit at a low level.
As of mid-April, the USA and Iran resumed talks on a potential new agreement. The first five rounds of negotiation ended without a deal, with Trump blaming President Biden for the current situation, claiming he should have prevented Iran from acquiring the means to enrich uranium "years ago."
Uranium enrichment remains a contentious issue in the discussions. While Iran has reiterated that uranium enrichment within its "peaceful nuclear program" is non-negotiable, the US side considers it a "red line."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently released a report indicating that Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% over the past three months. Uranium enrichment of about 90% is required for nuclear weapon production. The IAEA expressed concern about the level of uranium enrichment and criticized the cooperation with Tehran in inspecting the Iranian nuclear program as "unsatisfactory."
Controversy and Compromises over Uranium Enrichment
If the US is to reach an agreement with Iran, the arrangement would likely include compromises and restrictions on uranium enrichment. The US proposal may allow Iran to continue enriching uranium up to 3% (the level required for civilian reactors) subject to certain conditions:
- The proposed enrichment would be limited to above-ground facilities, with underground sites being closed or mothballed temporarily.
- Any enrichment research and development, as well as the construction of new facilities, would be banned.
- Iran would be required to dismantle critical infrastructure related to uranium conversion and processing.
- A regional uranium enrichment consortium might be created, possibly including Iran, the US, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab states. Some proposals suggest that enrichment should ideally occur outside Iran but within the consortium. Iran, however, insists on keeping enrichment facilities within its territory.
- The agreement would be implemented over several years, with interim arrangements supervised in the meantime.
The Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has publicly rejected certain elements of the US proposal, affirming that Iran will not give up its right to enrich uranium within its borders. However, Iranian officials have signaled a willingness to explore the idea of a nuclear consortium as long as it is based in Iran.
The core disagreement between the two nations remains over the location and extent of uranium enrichment. While the US has wavered at times, with some reports suggesting leniency for low-level enrichment, other statements have insisted on no enrichment whatsoever. The position of US negotiators appears to be evolving, with recent proposals attempting to strike a balance between permitting limited enrichment and constraining Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Gulf Cooperation Council countries have expressed worry about Iran’s nuclear development and called for strict adherence to international safeguards.
As of early June 2025, the proposal is under consideration, but vast differences persist between the US and Iran's positions, particularly regarding the location and limits of uranium enrichment.
The European Union and its Member States, with keen interest in global politics and general-news, have been closely monitoring the US-Iran nuclear negotiations and the contentious issue of uranium enrichment. The ongoing discussions between the US and Iran involve potential compromises and restrictions on uranium enrichment, leading to a point of contention between the two sides, as Iran insists on retaining its right to enrich uranium within its borders.
