Tehran, May 21 — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered that the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium “should not leave the country,” rejecting a key U.S. demand in ongoing negotiations, Reuters quoted two unnamed Iranian sources as saying.
U.S. President Donald Trump had reportedly assured Israel that Iran’s holdings of highly enriched uranium — the feedstock for a nuclear weapon — would be removed from Iranian territory, according to Israeli officials speaking to Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted he will not agree to end hostilities until Iran’s enriched uranium is fully removed, Tehran ceases support for regional proxy forces, and its ballistic missile infrastructure is dismantled.
Those Israeli conditions have met firm resistance inside Tehran. One of the two Iranian sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the Supreme Leader’s instruction reflects a broader consensus among Iran’s senior decision-makers: the enriched-uranium stockpile must remain under Iranian control. Officials fear sending the material abroad would weaken Iran’s security and leave it more exposed to future military action by the United States and Israel. Under Iran’s constitution, the Supreme Leader has ultimate authority over key state policy.
The diplomatic stalemate has persisted since a fragile ceasefire that began on April 8, following intense exchanges of strikes earlier this year. Those hostilities erupted after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities on February 28; Iran then retaliated with attacks on Gulf states hosting U.S. forces, while fighting also intensified between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Negotiations have yet to produce a major breakthrough. The talks are complicated by a U.S. naval blockade constraining Iranian shipping and by Tehran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil traffic. Pakistani mediators are facilitating the discussions.
Within Iran’s leadership there is deep scepticism about U.S. intentions. The sources said many officials view the temporary lull in fighting as a possible U.S. ruse to lull Tehran into complacency before fresh strikes. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned this week that “obvious and hidden moves by the enemy” indicate Washington may be preparing for further military action.
President Trump said on Wednesday the United States is fully prepared to carry out additional strikes if Iran refuses to sign a comprehensive peace accord, while allowing a brief window of days for Tehran to provide “the right answers.” Israeli officials told Reuters it is unclear whether Trump will order a new offensive himself or authorize Israel to resume its operations independently. Tehran has vowed large-scale retaliation to any breach of its territory.
Despite the hardening positions, one confidential source suggested there are still diplomatic options. Possible compromises mentioned include diluting the enriched stockpile under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision.
IAEA records cited by Reuters indicate Iran held about 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to roughly 60 percent at the time of U.S.-Israeli strikes on its nuclear sites in June 2025. The exact amount that survived the attacks is uncertain. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in March that much of the remaining material was being secured inside a fortified underground tunnel complex at the Isfahan facility, where inspectors estimated just over 200 kg was located. The agency also reports additional quantities at the Natanz enrichment site, which previously hosted two centrifuge facilities.
Iran says some quantities of highly enriched uranium are needed for legitimate domestic uses, including medical isotope production and to fuel a research reactor in Tehran that operates on lower-enriched (around 20 percent) material. Tehran has repeatedly denied any intent to build a nuclear weapon and says it seeks a legally binding, permanent end to the war, backed by ironclad guarantees that the United States and Israel will not resume attacks. Iranian officials say they will only enter detailed technical talks about their nuclear programme once such security assurances are secured.
Before full-scale hostilities began, Tehran had signalled a conditional willingness to export roughly half of its 60-percent-enriched stock. Insiders told Reuters that willingness diminished after repeated public threats by President Trump to launch devastating strikes against Iran.
(This story is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received. The Tribune is not responsible for its accuracy or completeness.)
