US President Donald Trump has said the United States will work with Iran to recover enriched uranium and transport it back to the United States, as negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue over Iran’s nuclear program.
Speaking in a phone interview with Reuters, Trump said the operation would be carried out in coordination with Iran.
“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,” Trump said.
He added that what he described as “nuclear dust” would be recovered “very soon,” referring to material left after strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
Iran is believed to possess more than 900 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, a level close to weapons-grade material. The issue remains one of the central disputes in US–Iran negotiations, with Tehran insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.
Trump also confirmed in a social media post that US restrictions on Iranian ports would remain in place until a final agreement is reached, even as the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly reopened.
He said additional talks could take place soon, adding that a deal could be reached quickly and did not rule out possible travel to Pakistan if negotiations advance.
A source involved in mediation efforts told Reuters that progress had been made in backchannel diplomacy, with both sides agreeing in principle and working toward a potential framework deal.
Separately, reports suggesting that the US would unfreeze Iranian assets or transfer funds as part of the agreement were denied by Trump, who said: “It’s totally false. No money is changing hands.”
