Media: Iran agrees in principle to dispose of highly-enriched uranium

Iran has agreed in principle to dispose of its highly-enriched uranium as part of ongoing negotiations with the United States, a senior Trump administration official told CBS News on May 24.

The official said Washington believes Iran’s supreme leader has approved the framework for a potential deal, but cautioned that a final agreement still needs to be completed before any formal signing can take place.

According to the official, “it is still an open question” whether the negotiations will ultimately result in a finalised agreement.

The official said the Iranian negotiating system had been “frustratingly slow and opaque” even before Operation Epic Fury, adding that the process had become even more complicated since then.

The proposed agreement would reportedly follow a two-step process. Under the initial phase, the Strait of Hormuz would immediately reopen in exchange for the lifting of the US blockade. This would then be followed by negotiations over mechanisms for Iran to scale back elements of its nuclear program.

The United States is seeking a commitment from Tehran to dispose of highly-enriched uranium and address other nuclear-related concerns, the official said.

The official added that the administration believes the proposed arrangement would be stronger than the 2015 nuclear agreement reached under former US President Barack Obama, which permitted uranium enrichment up to certain levels.

Officials are still discussing the technical details of how Iran’s uranium stockpile would be disposed of with negotiators authorized by Iran’s supreme leader.

No final decision has been made regarding the unfreesing of Iranian assets, although the official said any sanctions relief would depend on Iran meeting US national security objectives.

“I think we're actually in a very good place” for a deal, the official said, adding that the administration believes it can secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and achieve the president’s objectives regarding nuclear material.

The negotiations have involved Vice President JD Vance, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to the official, who said the US was also working to involve regional allies across the Middle East.

On May 23, Donald Trump said the peace deal was “largely negotiated,” but a day later wrote on social media that he had instructed US representatives “not to rush into a deal” because “time is on our side.”

The senior official also said the situation had shifted significantly compared with the period before the first six-week military campaign, noting that Iranian negotiators were now making some “serious accommodations” on issues they had previously refused to discuss.

By Sabina Mammadli