Iran’s uranium enrichment denial has sharpened tensions after US President Donald Trump said Tehran had agreed to hand over its highly enriched uranium as part of a possible deal. Iran quickly rejected that claim. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said reports of any transfer were false and described enriched uranium as “sacred” to Iran, adding that sending it abroad was never on the table.
Trump said in recent interviews and public remarks that Iran had agreed to key US demands, including removing its uranium stocks and ending support for proxy groups. He also told Axios that he expected a deal between Washington and Tehran within “the next day or two.”
In Arizona, Trump again referred to Iran’s enriched uranium as “nuclear dust,” a phrase he has used for material believed to be buried under nuclear sites hit during last year’s US strikes. If confirmed, such a concession would represent a major breakthrough for Washington and Israel. However, neither Iran nor the mediating countries has publicly confirmed such an agreement.
The uranium dispute comes as Iran has announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. That move may ease pressure on global energy flows after weeks of disruption. Still, Trump said the US naval blockade targeting Iranian ports will remain fully in place until a final agreement is reached. The military presence enforcing that blockade includes 12 ships and 100 aircraft. That means diplomacy is moving forward, but the broader military standoff is far from over.
Mediators push compromise on three issues
Mediators are trying to bridge differences on three central points: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation for wartime damages. That framework suggests negotiators are not just discussing uranium stockpiles, but a much wider package tied to security, commerce, and the aftermath of conflict. At the same time, another reported proposal added fresh complexity. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to move Iran’s enriched uranium to Russia during a phone call with Trump, but Trump rejected the idea.
Read: Trump Says Xi Happy as Hormuz Reopens Ahead of China Meeting Gains Attention
Inside Iran, conditions remain severe. The country’s internet blackout has now stretched to 49 days, with connectivity at about 2% of normal levels. That prolonged shutdown reflects how strained the internal environment remains, even as diplomacy continues behind the scenes.
For now, the biggest gap lies between Trump’s public optimism and Iran’s firm denial. Trump says a deal is close and that Iran has agreed to sweeping terms. Tehran says no uranium transfer is being discussed. As a result, the next phase of talks will be closely watched to see whether those positions can be narrowed into an actual agreement.
