Trump Announces Iran's Alleged Agreement to Hand Over Buried 'Nuclear Dust' Uranium
Former President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that Iran has consented to relinquish highly enriched uranium, which he refers to as 'nuclear dust,' purportedly buried following US airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities last year. However, there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding this concession, which was reportedly discussed during talks with US officials last week.
Background on the 'Nuclear Dust' and Ongoing Tensions
Trump has coined the term 'nuclear dust' to describe the highly enriched uranium that the International Atomic Energy Agency has indicated remains interred deep underground. This material stems from US strikes in June targeting three major nuclear sites in Iran. The presence of this uranium has been a focal point of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with US officials expressing concerns that it could potentially be leveraged to support the development of a nuclear weapon.
Prior to the current two-week ceasefire, which is set to expire on Tuesday, Trump had directed the American military to formulate a plan for a high-risk operation. This operation aimed to enter Iran and retrieve the radioactive material without obtaining Tehran's consent, highlighting the urgency and sensitivity of the situation.
Trump's Public Statements and Negotiation Dynamics
Addressing reporters on Thursday, Trump stated, 'Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, and they've agreed to that. Iran's agreed to that, and they've agreed to it very powerfully. They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that's way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers.' He further added, 'So we have a lot of agreement with Iran, and I think something's going to happen, very positive, very important.'
These remarks follow US discussions with Iranian officials in Islamabad over the weekend, which concluded without securing a definitive agreement. Iran has consistently maintained that it does not seek to develop a nuclear weapon, meaning any renewed pledge to that effect may carry limited weight. A commitment to surrender existing stocks of enriched uranium would represent a more significant step, although its impact could be constrained if Iran retains the capability to produce additional material.
Technical and Strategic Considerations
US officials believe that last June's airstrikes destroyed or disabled many of Iran's centrifuges used for uranium enrichment, though the country is believed to still possess others. Trump noted, 'Iran wants to make a deal, and we're dealing very nicely with them. They're willing to do things today that they weren't willing to do two months ago.'
During the latest round of negotiations, Vice President JD Vance presented a proposal that would halt Iran from enriching uranium for 20 years, an idea Trump later said he opposed. According to reports from Axios, Washington and Tehran are currently negotiating a three-page plan to end the war, which could involve Iran surrendering its enriched uranium in exchange for $20 billion in unfrozen funds.
Key Objectives and Upcoming Talks
Ensuring Iran cannot access its underground nuclear stockpiles, specifically the 450kg of 60 per cent enriched uranium, remains a primary objective for the Trump administration. One official commented, 'Iran clearly wants the $20 billion — and a lot more. They clearly want to sell oil at free-market rates without sanctions. They want to participate in the global financial system. But they also want to have this nuclear weapons program.' The official added, 'They want to fund terrorists like Hamas. And they don't want to give that up enough to get the things we're offering. Iran has moved. But not far enough. What it takes to make them move forward, we will see.'
Trump indicated on Thursday that US and Iranian negotiators would likely meet this weekend for a second round of talks before the ceasefire concludes, underscoring the critical timing of these discussions.
Developments Regarding the Strait of Hormuz
In a related development, Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz is now 'completely open' for the remainder of the ceasefire. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media platform X on Friday, 'In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.'
Responding on Truth Social, Donald Trump posted, 'Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage. Thank you!' In his celebratory message, the US President referred to the waterway as the 'Strait of Iran' rather than using its official name, the Strait of Hormuz. However, Trump clarified that the US blockade will remain 'in full force' despite the opening, stating, 'The Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete. This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated.'
Broader Regional Context and Ceasefire Implications
Trump remarked on Thursday that the Iran war is 'going swimmingly' as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect. Speaking at an event in Las Vegas, the US President said a deal with Iran is 'very close,' after announcing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon following discussions with officials from both nations. He described it as a 'historic' day for Lebanon, adding in a Truth Social post, 'Good things are happening!!!'
The hope is that this truce may advance a permanent peace deal between Israel and Lebanon, which currently have no diplomatic relations. In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump warned the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah to 'act nicely' during the ceasefire, writing, 'I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!'
