Iran has not agreed to ship out its highly enriched uranium stockpile as part of any deal with the United States. A senior Iranian source disclosed this to Reuters on May 24, directly contradicting previous reports that suggested Tehran was open to such a transfer.
The source emphasized that nuclear-related discussions were not part of any preliminary agreements reached between the two sides.
What’s actually happening in the negotiations
Iran held approximately 440.9 kg of 60%-enriched uranium before strikes in June 2025. Post-strike analyses suggest that much of that stockpile may have been moved to Isfahan ahead of time, meaning Iran likely retained a significant portion of its nuclear material.
Iran has signaled a willingness to downblend its uranium domestically, reducing enrichment levels to 3.7% or 20% under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. Downblending reduces the material’s proximity to weapons-grade levels without actually giving it up.
