Iran is reportedly exploring the possibility of transferring its stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium to China as part of a broader ceasefire agreement with the United States. The arrangement, if finalized, would involve roughly 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just one technical step below what’s needed for a nuclear weapon.
Chinese officials have signaled openness to receiving the material, though the specific safeguards the US would demand remain unclear.
What’s actually on the table
The uranium transfer discussion sits inside a larger negotiating framework between Washington and Tehran. Current proposals include a 60-day ceasefire extension and talks around reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes daily.
Uranium management remains the thorniest unresolved piece. Iran’s Supreme Leader has publicly stated a preference to keep the enriched stockpile within Iran’s borders. But conditional willingness to ship it to China reportedly exists, provided a broader deal materializes.
