Key Points:
- US President Donald Trump tells Reuters the US will work with Iran to recover enriched uranium.
- The recovered nuclear material will be transported back to the United States.
- Iran is believed to possess over 900 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity.
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump has said that Washington plans to work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium and transport it to the United States, according to an interview with Reuters.
Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Trump said the process would proceed at a “nice leisurely pace,” adding that the United States would collaborate directly with Tehran on the effort.
“We’re going to get it together. We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery… We’ll bring it back to the United States,” he said during a phone interview.
Trump also referred to what he described as “nuclear dust,” suggesting that remnants of Iran’s nuclear material — following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year — would be retrieved “very soon.”
According to Reuters, Iran is believed to possess more than 900 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity, a level that has remained a central point of contention in longstanding negotiations between Washington and Tehran. While the US has maintained that Iran’s nuclear ambitions could lead to weapons development, Tehran insists its enrichment programme is solely for peaceful civilian purposes.
Trump reiterated that a key objective of past military action was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. At the same time, he expressed optimism about ongoing diplomatic efforts, saying a deal to resolve the issue could be reached quickly.
“I think the deal will go very quickly. We’re getting along very well with Iran,” he said, while noting that further talks would likely take place over the weekend.
He added that the United States would maintain its naval blockade targeting Iran until a final agreement is reached. Trump also said Washington was working with Tehran to remove mines from the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.
Dismissing media reports about a potential $20 billion deal involving uranium, Trump said no financial transaction was under consideration. “It’s totally false. No money is changing hands,” he said.
He further indicated that he “might” visit Islamabad after a deal is finalised, though he added that no final decision had been made.
