Iran rules out removal of enriched uranium amid fresh threat of US strikes
Iranian officials have ruled out any transfer of the country’s enriched uranium as tensions with the US continue to escalate. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei was asked whether Iran would agree at a press conference in Tehran on Monday whether the regime would consider moving its stockpile to a neutral third country, according to the state-linked Tasnim News Agency. “No, we will not agree to it,” he replied. The statement came amid growing international concern over Iran's nuclear programme and reports that Washington has been pressing Tehran to surrender its most highly enriched uranium as part of efforts to prevent further military escalation.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article never says that Israel is a party to the war on Iran or that US and Israeli strikes hit Iran this year. It mentions Iranian 'attacks across the region' (S25) but no attacks on Iran. Without this a reader believes the threat of strikes is new and only American, and that Iran is the side carrying out attacks.
How we know
- Al Jazeera English reported“war on Iran, which began on February 28”How would Tehran respond if the US and Israel bomb Iran again? (opens in a new tab)
- The Jerusalem Post reported“aimed at pushing for a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran”Iranian negotiators in Doha to continue talks to end the US-Iran war, official says (opens in a new tab)
“During the visit of Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi to Qatar, an exchange of messages took place between Iran and the United States, mediated by Qatar,” Baqaei said. “The issues are more complex. Given the steps taken by the US, this complexity has increased even further.” However, he indicated that Tehran wanted the exchanges to continue, adding: “The Iranian side logically presented the necessary questions to the US side.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also indicated that diplomatic consultations were continuing, although no final agreement had been reached. “Consultations with the mediators regarding the two-day plan are continuing and moving toward implementation, but we have not yet reached a definitive conclusion,” he said. “Iran's nuclear programme is strictly for peaceful purposes. This has been proven time and again,” Baqaei added. He insisted that allegations of Iran seeking nuclear weapons had continued for around two decades, despite what he described as repeated efforts to address international concerns.
“The other side continues to repeat claims regarding Iran possessing nuclear weapons or posing a nuclear threat,” he continued. Baqaei also addressed growing calls within Iran for the country to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the international agreement designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He acknowledged that withdrawal was a subject of debate among the regime but emphasised that Iran remained a member of the treaty and was committed to its obligations, despite long-standing claims of violations.
“This issue is real, but at the decision-making level, we are still a member of the NPT and remain committed to our obligations,” he said. The scale of Iran's uranium stockpile has been a particular source of international concern. An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report published in May 2025 estimated that Iran possessed approximately 9,247kg of enriched uranium, including 408kg enriched to 60 per cent. Uranium enriched to 60 per cent is significantly above the levels generally required for civilian nuclear energy, although it remains below the approximately 90 per cent enrichment level generally associated with weapons-grade material.
The IAEA has repeatedly raised concerns about Iran's accumulation of highly enriched uranium and its ability to verify the programme. Following military attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, the agency also raised concerns about its ability to maintain oversight of the country's nuclear material. The US has made the removal of Iran's enriched uranium a central part of its demands. Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported on October 28 that Washington had proposed that Tehran transfer its highly enriched uranium to the US to avoid further American military action.
The reported conditions also included ending attacks across the region and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. US Vice President JD Vance has also questioned Iran's need to enrich uranium to such high levels. Speaking to Reuters on October 7, he said: “If you don't want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60 per cent enriched fuel?” Meanwhile, Baqaei also rejected the notion that Iran would acquiesce to US pressure, declaring: “Surrender is not in our vocabulary.”
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