Reuters quoted a senior US administration official stating that Washington will secure enriched materials under the agreement with Iran, which he revealed also includes an inspection regime. Meanwhile, the American network CNN reported that Iran has isolated its stockpile of enriched uranium and mined the tunnels.
اضافة اعلان
The US official explained that the agreement specifically stipulates the transfer of enriched materials, confirming that an agreement has been reached regarding the details of destroying and removing them. He noted that the draft agreement lifts the US blockade and leads to the dismantling of the nuclear program, pointing out that Iran will be economically rewarded if it complies.
In this context, a US official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Iran has agreed to "dismantle" its nuclear program and dispose of the enriched uranium.
For its part, The New York Times quoted Iranian officials and an informed regional official stating that Iran will reaffirm its commitment in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) not to develop or possess a nuclear weapon. They indicated that the future of highly enriched uranium and Iran's nuclear program has been deferred to subsequent rounds of negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said that the agency will make verifying the full scope of Iran's nuclear capabilities its highest priority.
Memorandum and Details
The American statements come after the Iranian state news agency, IRNA, previously quoted sources saying that the current MoU does not include an agreement on the nuclear file. The sources indicated that nuclear talks would take place within a 60-day grace period after the signing.
Last Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that speculation regarding how enriched uranium stockpiles will be managed, transferred out of the country, or the issue of enrichment itself, remains merely media speculation for the time being.
Days prior, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, military advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Iranian Armed Forces, stated that his country would not relinquish its right to enrich uranium, viewing it as a national resource and a technology currently utilized in agriculture, pharmaceutical industries, and power generation. Rezaei emphasized that Tehran is the sole decision-maker in this regard, will not hand over enriched materials to any person or entity, and will not accept any conditions regarding them.
Iran is believed to possess 408 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
Isolating the Stockpile
This developments unfold as CNN quoted five sources familiar with US intelligence stating that Iran has significantly intensified its efforts in recent weeks to isolate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, adding that Tehran deliberately backfilled tunnels and booby-trapped entrances with explosive mines.
The sources said that accessing nearly half a ton of highly enriched uranium has become more difficult, dangerous, and time-consuming than it was just a month ago, when US President Donald Trump was publicly hinting at potentially ordering the US military to seize these materials.
They added that the new Iranian fortifications have introduced an extra layer of complexity to the proposal the Trump administration is working on with Tehran regarding the removal and destruction of the uranium. It also raises questions about which party will undertake the task of extracting it under such hazardous conditions.
The American network reported that several sources noted that removing the enriched materials has become a complex task even for the Iranians themselves, as it requires heavy excavation equipment and highly risky demining operations.
Furthermore, experts warned that this situation could give Tehran an opening to claim that part of the stockpile has become unextractable, which could spark doubts about its full compliance with any future agreement.
Enriched uranium remains one of the most prominent sticking points between the United States and Iran, with both sides demonstrating rigidity in their positions regarding this complex file in every round of negotiations.
Last Wednesday, the IAEA Board of Governors approved a US-backed resolution demanding that Iran declare its remaining stockpiles of enriched uranium and allow inspectors to verify them. The resolution states that Iran must "provide the Agency with full information regarding its stockpiles of nuclear material" and grant it the necessary access to verify this "without delay." — (News Agencies)
