The US has drawn a hard line in its nuclear negotiations with Iran: destroy your highly enriched uranium first, then we’ll talk about lifting sanctions. Not the other way around.
A US official confirmed that Iran must remove or destroy its stockpile of highly enriched uranium before receiving any form of sanctions relief.
A two-step framework with a 60-day clock
The current negotiations are built around a potential two-step framework. Step one involves an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. Step two kicks off a 60-day negotiation window covering the scope of Iran’s uranium program, the structure of any sanctions relief, and the release of frozen Iranian funds, previously estimated in the billions from oil sales.
The Trump administration has reportedly indicated that Iran has agreed “in principle” to dispose of its highly enriched uranium as part of any deal. The administration has made clear that relief will be calibrated to actual, verifiable compliance with US security goals, not handed over automatically.
