TEHRAN: Iran has strongly denied recent reports suggesting it has agreed to transfer enriched uranium to the United States, with a foreign ministry spokesman calling the claim “false” and reiterating that such a move has never been an option.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baqai categorically rejected the allegations, stating that under no circumstances will Iran’s enriched uranium be transferred anywhere else.
“Transferring enriched uranium to the US has never been an option for Iran,” Baqai said. He added that the US claim is entirely baseless and that Iran remains committed to its nuclear principles, which do not include relinquishing its enriched material to any foreign power.
The denial comes a day after former US President Donald Trump, while speaking to journalists, claimed that Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons. Trump went further, asserting that Tehran had also agreed to hand over its “destroyed” enriched uranium to the United States – a remark that baffled analysts, as enriched uranium is typically not “destroyed” but rather diluted or down-blended.
Trump did not provide evidence for his assertions, nor did he clarify what he meant by “destroyed enriched uranium.” Observers noted the term may have been a misspeak, possibly referring to surplus or excess stockpiles.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 – Iran had agreed to limit its enrichment levels and allow international inspections, but never to ship its enriched uranium stockpiles to the United States.
The latest exchange further deepens mistrust between Tehran and Washington, with nuclear diplomacy remaining stalled for years. No official reaction has yet come from the White House or the State Department regarding Ir
an’s denial.
