Supreme Leader says enriched uranium must stay in Iran, Iranian sources say

DUBAI – Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters, marking a hardening of Tehran’s stance on one of the main U.S. demands in ongoing peace talks.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s order could further frustrate U.S. President Donald Trump and complicate efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Israeli officials have told Reuters that Trump assured Israel any peace deal must include the removal of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, necessary for developing an atomic weapon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also stated that he will not consider the war over until enriched uranium is removed from Iran, Tehran stops supporting proxy militias, and its ballistic missile capabilities are eliminated.

“The Supreme Leader’s directive, and the consensus within the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country,” one of the Iranian sources said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Iranian officials believe that sending the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to future attacks by the United States and Israel. Khamenei has the final authority on the most critical state matters.

The White House and Iran’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Deep Suspicion Among Iranian Officials

A fragile ceasefire has held since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which were followed by Iranian attacks on Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases and fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Despite the ceasefire, progress in peace talks has been limited. A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route, have complicated negotiations mediated by Pakistan.

The two senior Iranian sources said there is deep suspicion within Iran that the pause in hostilities may be a tactical deception by Washington to lull Tehran into a false sense of security before launching new attacks. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said Wednesday that “obvious and hidden moves by the enemy” indicate that the U.S. is preparing for further strikes.

President Trump stated on Wednesday that the U.S. is ready to conduct additional attacks on Tehran if Iran refuses a peace deal but hinted that Washington could wait a few days “to get the right answers.”

While both sides have narrowed some differences, the sources said significant gaps remain, particularly over Iran’s nuclear program, including the fate of its enriched uranium stockpiles and Tehran’s demand for recognition of its right to enrich uranium.

Iran Hardens Stance on Uranium Stockpile

Iranian officials have emphasized that their priority is to secure a permanent end to the war and credible guarantees that the U.S. and Israel will not launch further attacks. Only after these assurances would Iran engage in detailed negotiations over its nuclear program. Tehran continues to deny seeking nuclear weapons.

Israel, widely believed to possess an atomic arsenal, has maintained a longstanding policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities.

Before the war, Iran had indicated a willingness to ship out half of its uranium stockpile enriched to 60%, a level far exceeding civilian requirements. However, sources said repeated threats from President Trump prompted a reversal of that position.

Israeli officials told Reuters it remains unclear whether Trump will authorize a military strike or allow Israel to resume operations. Tehran has warned of a “crushing response” if attacked.

Despite the tensions, Iranian sources said “feasible formulas” exist to resolve the issue. “There are solutions like diluting the stockpile under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” one source said.

The IAEA estimates that Iran held 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% when Israeli and U.S. forces attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. The exact amount that survived is uncertain. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reported in March that slightly more than 200 kg of the enriched uranium is believed to be stored in a tunnel complex at the Isfahan nuclear facility, with additional quantities at the Natanz nuclear complex.

Iran maintains that some highly enriched uranium is necessary for medical purposes and a research reactor in Tehran that requires smaller amounts of uranium enriched to around 20%.

-Reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Dubai and Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Timothy Heritage/Reuters