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Iran’s Supreme Leader has ordered that the country’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium indispensable stay wrong Iran, 2 elder Iranian sources told Reuters, a determination that could further complicate bid negotiations with the United States and Israel amid the ongoing determination conflict.According to Reuters, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s directive hardens Tehran’s presumption connected 1 of Washington’s cardinal demands during negotiations aimed astatine ending the US-Israeli warfare connected Iran. Israeli officials person told Reuters that US President Donald Trump had assured Israel that immoderate bid statement would see the removal of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile from the country.Israel, the United States and respective Western nations person agelong accused Iran of pursuing atomic weapons capability, peculiarly aft Tehran enriched uranium to 60%, a level overmuch higher than civilian requirements and person to weapons-grade enrichment.
Iran has consistently denied seeking atomic weapons.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the warfare cannot extremity unless Iran removes its enriched uranium stockpile, halts enactment for proxy militias and dismantles its ballistic rocket programme.“The Supreme Leader’s directive, and the statement wrong the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not permission the country,” 1 of the Iranian sources told Reuters connected information of anonymity due to the fact that of the sensitivity of the issue.
The sources said Iranian leaders judge sending the uranium overseas would permission the state susceptible to aboriginal attacks by the United States and Israel. Iran’s Supreme Leader holds last authorization implicit large authorities decisions. The White House and Iran’s overseas ministry did not instantly respond to requests for comment.A fragile ceasefire remains successful spot pursuing the struggle that erupted aft US-Israeli strikes connected Iran connected February 28.
Iran subsequently targeted Gulf states hosting US subject bases, portion clashes intensified betwixt Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah successful Lebanon.Despite ongoing mediation efforts led by Pakistan, negotiations person made small advancement arsenic a US blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran’s power implicit the Strait of Hormuz proceed to complicate diplomacy.The Iranian sources besides claimed determination was heavy suspicion wrong Tehran’s enactment that the existent intermission successful hostilities could beryllium a tactical determination by Washington earlier launching caller airstrikes.Iran’s apical bid negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said connected Wednesday that “obvious and hidden moves by the enemy” indicated the United States was preparing caller attacks.Trump connected Wednesday warned that Washington was prepared to motorboat further attacks connected Tehran if Iran refused to hold to a bid deal, though helium suggested the US could hold “a fewer days” to “get the close answers.”According to the sources, some sides person narrowed immoderate differences successful negotiations, but large disagreements stay implicit Iran’s atomic programme, peculiarly regarding the destiny of the enriched uranium stockpile and Tehran’s insistence connected retaining its close to enrichment.Iranian officials person repeatedly stated that Tehran’s superior nonsubjective is securing a imperishable extremity to the warfare on with credible guarantees that the United States and Israel volition not motorboat aboriginal attacks. Only aft specified assurances, they said, would Iran prosecute successful elaborate atomic negotiations.Israel is wide believed to person atomic weapons, though it has ne'er officially confirmed oregon denied having an atomic arsenal and continues to support a argumentation of ambiguity connected the issue.Before the struggle escalated, Iran had reportedly indicated willingness to export fractional of its uranium enriched to 60%. However, Reuters sources said that presumption shifted pursuing repeated threats from Trump to onslaught Iran.Israeli officials told Reuters it remained unclear whether Trump would authorise different onslaught connected Iran oregon let Israel to resume subject operations. Tehran has warned it would respond forcefully to immoderate aboriginal attack.One Iranian root suggested determination were inactive imaginable compromises disposable to resoluteness the dispute.“There are solutions similar diluting the stockpile nether the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” the root said.The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% erstwhile Israeli and US forces attacked Iranian atomic facilities successful June 2025.
The existent presumption of that stockpile remains unclear.IAEA main Rafael Grossi said successful March that astir of the surviving stockpile was believed to beryllium stored successful tunnels astatine the Isfahan atomic facility, portion immoderate worldly was besides believed to stay astatine Iran’s Natanz enrichment complex.Iran has maintained that portion of its highly enriched uranium programme is intended for aesculapian applications and for a Tehran-based probe reactor that uses uranium enriched to astir 20%.
