Iran’s Supreme Leader has declared that Iran will not export its near-weapons-grade uranium as requested by Donald Trump. This decision by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to create further challenges for the ongoing peace talks in the Middle East.
According to two reliable Iranian sources, the Supreme Leader has issued a directive insisting that the enriched uranium must remain within the country, solidifying Tehran’s position on a key demand from the US during the negotiations for peace.
Israeli officials have indicated that Trump has promised Israel that Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, crucial for nuclear weapon production, would be removed from Iran as part of any peace agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the conflict will not be considered resolved until Iran relinquishes its enriched uranium, ceases support for proxy militias, and eliminates its ballistic missile capabilities.
One of the Iranian sources revealed that there is a consensus within Iran that sending the enriched uranium abroad would expose the country to heightened vulnerability against potential future attacks from the US and Israel. Ultimately, Khamenei has the final say on critical state matters.
Despite a fragile ceasefire currently in place, negotiations for peace have encountered significant obstacles, including a US blockade of Iranian ports and Iran’s control over the vital oil supply route, the Strait of Hormuz, adding complexity to the peace talks mediated by Pakistan.
Deep suspicion exists in Iran regarding the temporary halt in hostilities, with concerns that it might be a tactical ploy by Washington to lull Iran into a false sense of security before resuming airstrikes. Both sides have made some progress in bridging gaps, but significant disagreements persist, particularly concerning Tehran’s nuclear program and the fate of its enriched uranium reserves.
Iranian officials have reiterated their primary objective of securing a lasting end to the conflict and obtaining guarantees from the US and Israel against future attacks. Only upon receiving these assurances will Iran engage in detailed discussions regarding its nuclear program. Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, while Israel’s nuclear arsenal remains unconfirmed, as the country has adopted a policy of ambiguity on the issue for decades.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that Iran possessed 440.9 kg of enriched uranium when attacked by Israel and the US in June 2025, with the current status of this stockpile being uncertain. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reported that a significant portion of the remaining enriched uranium is stored in a tunnel complex at the Isfahan nuclear facility, with additional quantities likely at the Natanz nuclear complex.
Iran has defended the need for some highly enriched uranium for medical purposes and to fuel a research reactor in Tehran that operates on lower-grade uranium enrichment levels.
