Enriched Uranium to remain inside Iran: Mojtaba Khamenei

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered that the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium must not be transferred abroad under any circumstances, according to two senior Iranian sources.

The directive directly challenges a key US demand in ongoing nuclear negotiations and is expected to further intensify diplomatic tensions.

An unnamed Iranian official said, “The Supreme Leader’s order and internal consensus are clear — the enriched uranium stockpile will not leave the country.”

Iranian officials believe relocating the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to potential strikes by the United States and Israel.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump said at the White House on Thursday that Iran would not be allowed to retain highly enriched uranium stockpiles, suggesting they could be destroyed if necessary.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also insisted that any deal must dismantle Iran’s enrichment capabilities, its ballistic missile programme, and its support for regional armed groups.

According to Iranian sources, Tehran had earlier considered transferring part of its 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile abroad before reversing its position amid escalating US pressure.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran held about 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent as of last June — a level far above civilian use and close to weapons-grade enrichment. The current status and location of the stockpile remain unclear, though most of it is believed to be stored in facilities at Isfahan and Natanz.

Iran maintains that limited quantities of highly enriched uranium are required for medical and research purposes and insists its right to enrichment is internationally recognized.

While some progress has been reported in indirect talks mediated through Pakistan, major disagreements remain over Iran’s nuclear programme and the fate of its enriched uranium stockpile.

Source: Reuters