Iran Rejects Claims of Uranium Transfer in U.S. Negotiations

Iranian authorities have moved to counter recent media reports suggesting Tehran committed to handing over its enriched uranium reserves, characterizing such claims as unfounded.

Speaking to Reuters, a senior Iranian official stated that the country "did not agree to hand over its stock of highly enriched uranium," and emphasized that no arrangement had been finalized regarding the removal of this material from Iranian territory.

The official explained that nuclear matters fall outside the current preliminary understanding being negotiated with Washington. According to this account, discussions on the nuclear file will take place at a later stage, following the conclusion of initial negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive final agreement.

Should Iran's Supreme National Security Council approve the memorandum of understanding with the United States, the official noted, the document would proceed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei for formal ratification.

The Iranian news agency Tasnim similarly cited unnamed sources rejecting what they characterized as Western media reports claiming Iran had committed to transferring or relocating nuclear materials as part of any potential accord with the United States.

These sources asserted that nuclear-related provisions "were not included in the initial draft understanding under discussion," and that substantive talks on the nuclear question had been postponed until after the conclusion of "the current phase focused on ending the war," contingent upon reciprocal measures from Washington.

The sources also dismissed reports circulating about a proposed two-decade freeze on Iranian nuclear activities, dismissing such accounts as baseless. They underscored that the current draft contains no specific nuclear provisions.

The denials emerge amid intensifying political and security tensions. The White House has recently elevated the question of Iranian targets to its national security agenda, following warnings from President Donald Trump to Tehran that the window for securing a more favorable deal is narrowing.

Meanwhile, intermediaries are reportedly working to forestall potential military strikes against Iran in the immediate period ahead. Complicating diplomatic efforts is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have escalated after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned against any Iranian efforts to levy fees or establish transit protocols for vessels traversing the waterway.

American officials had previously disclosed to the New York Times that Iran had consented to relinquishing enriched uranium as part of an agreement announced by Trump. Tehran swiftly and unequivocally rejected this characterization.