Iran has agreed in principle to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of a proposed agreement with the United States aimed at ending ongoing regional conflict, according to two U.S. officials cited by The New York Times.
Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel reported that although Tehran and Washington have not yet finalized the mechanism for transferring the uranium, Iranian authorities have made a broad commitment to relinquish the material under a future deal framework. Specific arrangements are expected to be negotiated after the agreement is formally concluded.
The development comes only days after Iranian sources claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued instructions prohibiting the export of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. The latest report appears to signal a possible shift in Tehran’s negotiating posture amid intensified diplomatic efforts.
According to current estimates, Iran possesses more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. Israeli officials have argued that, if further enriched, the stockpile could theoretically be sufficient to produce up to 11 nuclear weapons.
Earlier this month, a senior Israeli military official warned that failure to remove or neutralize Iran’s enriched uranium reserves would render the military campaign launched in February “a major failure.”
The reported breakthrough follows a series of escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, including military exchanges, accusations of war crimes and growing international concern over the region’s nuclear stability.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed that a deal with Iran was “close to final,” while also warning that Washington would secure control of Iran’s enriched uranium “one way or another.”
Analysts say any agreement involving Iran’s uranium stockpile would mark a significant turning point in Middle East diplomacy and could reshape the balance of power in the region.
