The Trump administration has issued a stark ultimatum to Tehran, demanding Iran forgo its enriched uranium as a precondition for sanctions relief. An official from President Donald Trump's camp stated on Sunday, May 24, that there would be "no dust, no dollars" for Iran, meaning no economic reprieve unless it surrenders its nuclear material.
Strait of Hormuz and Negotiations
A memorandum of understanding announced by Trump on Saturday would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed since the conflict began nearly three months ago following joint US-Israeli strikes on key Iranian sites. The deal allows an additional 30 days for nuclear negotiations. Trump officials cautioned that no agreement is imminent, with finalisation expected to take at least five to seven days. "Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.
Key Demands and Stakes
A senior administration official emphasised that Iran would gain little if it fails to fulfil promises to surrender its enriched uranium. "95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system," the official told reporters. "No dust, no dollars — in other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief. If they do nothing, they get nothing. If they do a lot, they can actually get a lot."
The same official asserted that Trump's team would secure a superior agreement compared to the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which permitted Iran to continue some enrichment. "There were pallets of cash, and we did fly $1.7 billion of money from American banks there, and they used it to build centrifuges and finance terrorism," the official said.
Enrichment Ban and Disposal
US and Iranian negotiators are currently discussing an outright ban on enrichment spanning decades, though the precise timeframe remains undecided. "No one disputes that the stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of. It’s a question about how," the official explained. "And then simultaneously, while we’re figuring out that question of how, we’re going to have this thing where the strait open, the blockade is lifted and we get the economy some breathing room."
