WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would work with Iran to destroy its stockpile of enriched uranium as part of an emerging agreement between the two countries, officials said on Sunday.
Trump made the comments as negotiations continued over a potential deal that could include Iran giving up its highly enriched uranium stockpile, according to U.S. and regional officials. The discussions follow months of indirect talks aimed at addressing Iran's nuclear program and related tensions.
Details of the proposed arrangement remained limited. U.S. officials have said Iran agreed in principle to relinquish its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent, a level close to weapons-grade, though Iran has not publicly confirmed the commitment. Trump has stated that the uranium could be destroyed either in the United States, in Iran itself, or at another mutually acceptable location under supervision.
"The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons," Trump said in recent remarks, according to reports. He has emphasized that any deal must ensure the removal or destruction of the enriched uranium.
The talks come after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025 damaged key sites, though Iran retained a stockpile of highly enriched uranium estimated at around 400-440 kilograms. Negotiations have focused on sanctions relief, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and limitations on Iran's nuclear activities.
Iranian officials have expressed skepticism toward some U.S. demands and have not confirmed acceptance of uranium handover or destruction terms. Hardliners in Iran have criticized the negotiations, while the government has offered alternatives such as diluting the enriched material.
Trump has tempered expectations, instructing U.S. negotiators "not to rush into a deal" in a social media post, while maintaining that time is on the U.S. side. He has also said the U.S. could retrieve the uranium without a formal agreement but indicated there was no immediate need to do so.
A previous framework for the agreement included a potential 60-day period for Iran to meet commitments on the uranium stockpile in exchange for sanctions relief, officials familiar with the discussions said. Russia has been mentioned as a possible recipient for the material, but Trump has opposed transfers to Russia or China.
As of Sunday, no final agreement had been announced. U.S. and Iranian representatives continued indirect talks, with the uranium issue remaining a central point of contention. Details on implementation and verification mechanisms were still under discussion, officials said.
