Trump claims Iran ready to hand over enriched uranium, says deal 'close'

US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium stockpile, signalling that both countries are “close” to reaching a peace deal.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran had agreed to hand over what he described as “nuclear dust”, his term for highly enriched uranium that the US believes could be used to build nuclear weapons.

Trump asserted that Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon and had “agreed to that very powerfully”. He added that Tehran had also agreed to hand over uranium stockpiles stored deep underground.

“Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, and they’ve agreed to that. Iran’s agreed to that, and they’ve agreed to it very powerfully. They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that’s way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers,” Trump said.

On the potential deal with Iran, he said, “We have a lot of agreement with Iran, and something very positive and important will happen.” He added that it could bring free oil flows, an open Strait of Hormuz, and that “everything will be nice”.

US-Iran ties ‘very good’: Trump

Despite recent hostilities, Trump said relations between Washington and Tehran had improved. He attributed this to a combination of sustained bombing over four weeks and a “very powerful blockade”. We have a very good relationship with Iran right now, as hard as it is to believe", said the US President.

However, Trump warned that hostilities could resume if talks fail. “If there’s no deal, fighting resumes,”, he said. He added that the next round of talks between the two sides could take place as early as this weekend, indicating continued momentum in negotiations. The US President further said he could travel to Pakistan if a deal is signed in Islamabad.

This comes on the same day Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire.

Peace talks in Islamabad end in stalemate

Direct negotiations between the US and Iran ended without a breakthrough after more than 21 hours of discussions in Islamabad on Sunday. The talks, mediated by Pakistan, failed to produce a conclusive outcome.

Iran’s nuclear programme, particularly uranium enrichment, emerged as the central sticking point. The negotiations, led by US Vice President JD Vance, collapsed after Iran refused to abandon its nuclear programme, while Tehran described the US position as “excessive.”