The United States and Iran have moved closer to a formal agreement, with Trump stating that Iran is eager to reach a deal that would benefit the US and its allies. This marks a significant breakthrough following weeks of negotiations mediated through multiple channels, including Pakistan and Qatar. The development comes after Iran's Fars News Agency had earlier reported that the unfreezing of Iran's funds remained the final key issue under active Qatari mediation, a hurdle that appears to have since been addressed. Earlier reports from Axios and Al Jazeera had indicated that the two nations were approaching the signing of a 60-day ceasefire extension and that Qatari mediation had helped secure an agreement on Tehran's frozen assets.

Reported Deal Terms

According to Al Jazeera and Axios, the deal under discussion encompasses a broad set of concessions and arrangements from both sides, covering financial, military, and nuclear dimensions of the long-standing dispute. The following table summarises the key elements of the reported agreement:

Diplomatic Process and Background

According to Iran's Islamic Students' News Agency (ISNA), message exchanges between the two sides were structured around building a broader framework and confidence-building measures, signalling an organised approach to the diplomatic dialogue. A senior Iranian source had previously confirmed that while differences between the two nations had narrowed, no agreement had been reached at that earlier stage. Iran's uranium enrichment programme and its control over the Strait of Hormuz had been identified as key sticking points throughout the process, both of which appear to be addressed in the reported terms.

The question of unfreezing Iran's funds had been flagged by Fars News Agency as the last unresolved issue, subject to active Qatari mediation. With Trump now publicly affirming Iran's eagerness for a deal and the agreement reportedly pending final approval, the negotiation process appears to have reached its concluding stage, though no official confirmation has yet been issued by either government.

Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium as part of a deal announced by Donald Trump, according to The New York Times. In a significant escalation of that development, Iran is reported to be prepared to eliminate highly enriched uranium from its territory, with the material directed to be sent to China. This marks a sharp departure from an earlier directive by Iran's Supreme Leader, which had ordered that near-weapons-grade uranium stockpiles remain within the country. Trump has now announced that he will be meeting in the Situation Room to make a final determination on the matter.

Trump's Latest Statement and Position

Trump stated that he will be meeting in the Situation Room to make a final determination on Iran. In a further development, Trump indicated that uranium will be unearthed by the US in coordination with Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and destroyed. This represents an evolution from his earlier declaration that the United States would obtain Iran's uranium and would likely destroy it. The IAEA, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, plays a central role in monitoring and verifying nuclear material handling under international non-proliferation frameworks.

Iran's Earlier Supreme Leader Directive

Prior to this agreement, Iran's Supreme Leader had issued an order, as reported by Reuters citing senior sources, mandating that near-weapons-grade uranium stockpiles be kept inside Iranian territory rather than transferred or relocated abroad. The key parameters of that earlier directive are outlined below:

Key Developments at a Glance

The progression of reported developments surrounding Iran's enriched uranium is summarised below:

Context

Near-weapons-grade uranium refers to uranium enriched to levels significantly higher than those used for civilian nuclear energy purposes. The retention — and now the reported elimination and transfer — of such material is a matter of considerable international significance. Iran's preparedness to eliminate highly enriched uranium from its territory and send it to China stands in direct contrast to the Supreme Leader's earlier reported directive. Trump's announcement of a Situation Room meeting for a final determination, alongside the stated plan for coordinated destruction of the uranium with Iran and the IAEA, represents a notable and evolving development in the broader non-proliferation discussions surrounding Iran's nuclear programme.