President Donald Trump has said the United States will work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium and transport it to America, outlining what he described as a gradual, cooperative process as negotiations continue.
“We’re going to get it together. We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery… We’ll bring it back to the United States,” Trump said during a phone interview.
He added that the material, which he described as “nuclear dust,” would be retrieved “very soon,” referring to remnants from strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities carried out by the United States and Israel in 2025.
The proposal immediately drew a firm rejection from Tehran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said the country would not allow its uranium to be transferred abroad.
“Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere; transferring uranium to the United States has not been an option for us,” he said on state television.
The disagreement underscores one of the most contentious issues in ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, as both sides attempt to reach a broader agreement to end the conflict and address concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran is believed to possess more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent purity, a level that is below weapons-grade but significantly higher than what is typically required for civilian energy purposes.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was a central objective of the war. Iran, however, insists its nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful civilian use.
Despite the disagreement, Trump expressed optimism about the pace of negotiations.
“I think the deal will go very quickly. We’re getting along very well with Iran,” he said, adding that further discussions would likely take place “probably over the weekend.”
He also indicated that he could travel to Islamabad once an agreement is reached, though he noted that no final decision had been made.
As talks progress, the United States has continued to maintain pressure on Iran, with Trump confirming that a naval blockade would remain in place until a final agreement is secured.
At the same time, he said both countries were cooperating on efforts to remove mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments that has been heavily impacted by the conflict.
Trump also dismissed reports suggesting the United States was considering a $20 billion cash-for-uranium deal.
“It’s totally false. No money is changing hands,” he said.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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