U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that he could accept the disposal of Iran's highly enriched uranium within Iran itself. The remarks are seen as a step back from his earlier insistence that the highly enriched uranium be transferred to the United States, demonstrating greater flexibility.
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time) that "the enriched Uranium will be immediately handed over to the United States and destroyed, or, more preferably, destroyed in place, in coordination and cooperation with Iran, or destroyed at another appropriate location under the supervision of the AEC, or its equivalent."
Iran is known to possess approximately 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium at 60 percent purity. The United States has argued that this stockpile should be transferred to U.S. soil. However, Trump's remarks are interpreted as indicating that he could also accept disposing of the highly enriched uranium inside Iran in cooperation with the United States. They are also read as a willingness to accept transferring the material to a third country, where it would be destroyed under the supervision of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) or an equivalent body.
The New York Times noted that "it is unclear whether Iran has agreed to this." A senior U.S. official, however, said on Monday that "Iran has committed in principle to giving up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium."
