US Eyes Iran Deal to Offload Enriched Uranium

According to New York Post, an initial memorandum of understanding could be completed by week’s end that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and establish Iran’s commitment to halt future nuclear enrichment. A more complex second phase of negotiations would then tackle the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

One proposal under consideration within the Trump administration involves Iran delivering the near-weapons-grade uranium to Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, or China, with potential onward transfer to the United States, a national security official revealed Monday.

We are trying to land on language that allows both sides to save face, and that’s how deals like this are done, the source explained, adding that while President Trump ideally wants the material to reach American hands, interim arrangements could become permanent.

A second option would permit Iran to heavily dilute and retain the uranium, based on the assessment that its refinement facilities sustained such extensive damage during Operation Epic Fury that further enrichment would be impossible without detection. This alternative would require rigorous international oversight subject to additional negotiations.

The official told New York Post that Tehran is reluctant to hand over nuclear material directly to the United States, and that extended negotiations increase the risk of outside actors attempting to sabotage any agreement.

Anna Kelly, White House principal deputy press secretary, emphasized that President Trump has made his redlines clear and dismissed speculation from unnamed sources as baseless. She stated all announcements regarding a potential deal will come directly from the president or administration.

National Pride at Stake

A separate senior administration official acknowledged Iran’s domestic political constraints during a Sunday briefing with journalists. The official noted that national pride considerations are influencing Tehran’s negotiating position.

The debate centers not on whether Iran’s stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of, but rather on how Tehran can present any arrangement to its hardliners and population while meeting American security requirements, the official explained.

The framework envisions simultaneous progress on multiple fronts: resolving the uranium disposal question while reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US blockade, and providing economic relief to Iran.

War Origins and Regional Tensions

The current negotiations follow a joint US-Israeli military operation on February 28 that killed longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and left his wounded son Mojtaba leading the weakened theocracy. The regime had brutally suppressed anti-government protests in January that left thousands dead.

President Trump has made ending Iran’s nuclear program his top priority, while Israel seeks more comprehensive degradation of its regional adversary’s capabilities.

Republican senators pushed back against the phased approach over the weekend, with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina calling the reported framework a nightmare for Israel.

No Sanctions Relief Without Uranium Transfer

The White House made clear Sunday that Iran will receive no sanctions relief without first surrendering nuclear material, summarizing the American position succinctly: “No dust, no dollars.”

Trump posted on Truth Social early Monday that negotiations with the Islamic Republic are proceeding nicely, but warned the outcome would be either a great deal for all parties or no deal whatsoever, with a return to military operations on a larger scale.

In a Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, the president declared that the world’s number one state sponsor of terror will never possess a nuclear weapon.

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, stated Monday that it is accurate to say significant progress has been reached on major issues.

With information from New York Post