Iran has denied reports that it agreed to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of ongoing talks with the United States, according to a senior Iranian official who spoke to Reuters.
The source said the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme was deliberately left out of the preliminary understanding currently being discussed between Tehran and Washington.
“The nuclear issue will be addressed in negotiations for a final agreement,” the official said. “It is not part of the current deal, and there has been no agreement to ship Iran’s enriched uranium out of the country.”
The comments appear aimed at cooling speculation that recent diplomatic progress between the US and Iran included concessions over Tehran’s nuclear material.
Reports over the weekend suggested a possible framework agreement could eventually require Iran to surrender part of its uranium stockpile a key demand from Washington and its allies.
But the Iranian source insisted no such commitment has been made.
The dispute over enriched uranium remains one of the biggest obstacles in the negotiations.
Western governments fear Iran’s stockpile, enriched to near weapons-grade levels, could shorten the time needed to develop a nuclear weapon if Tehran chose to do so.
Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful civilian purposes.
The latest remarks suggest both sides may be focusing first on de-escalation measures and ceasefire arrangements before tackling the more sensitive nuclear questions in future talks.
The diplomatic efforts come amid fragile negotiations involving the United States, Iran and regional mediators, including Pakistan, as pressure grows to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.
