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.

Iran has presented a unified and resolute front in its standoff with the United States, with President Masoud Pezeshkian, the country's top negotiator, the Supreme Leader's representative to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and now the head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee all declaring that Tehran will not back down or compromise in ongoing talks. The statements, reported by state media and Al Jazeera, come as tensions between the two nations remain elevated over nuclear and security demands, signaling a hardened and coordinated negotiating posture across Iran's leadership.

Presidential Statement

Pezeshkian issued a forceful declaration that any attempt to force Iran into surrender through coercion is nothing more than an illusion, reflecting an unequivocal stance on Iran's national position. He reaffirmed that Iran has always upheld its commitments and has pursued every possible path to prevent war. The president further stated that from Iran's side, all options remain open, signaling both a readiness for diplomacy and a firm refusal to capitulate under pressure. The declaration underscores Iran's unconditional commitment to what its leadership characterizes as the legitimate rights of the Iranian people and nation.

Top Negotiator's Position

Adding further weight to Tehran's stance, Iran's top negotiator separately stated that Tehran will not compromise in its talks with the United States. The statement reinforces the consistent messaging emerging from Iran's leadership, presenting a coordinated and resolute position across both the executive and diplomatic levels of government.

Supreme Leader's Representative to IRGC

The Supreme Leader's representative to the IRGC stated that the negotiating team has always been urged to operate within the guidelines of the Supreme Leader. The representative further emphasized that the talks are not aimed at making concessions to the enemy or backing down, adding an authoritative religious and military dimension to Iran's already firm negotiating posture.

Parliament's National Security Committee

In the latest development, the head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee declared that Iran will not retreat from its red lines under Trump's rhetoric. The official explicitly identified these red lines as the right to enrich and possess uranium, authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and full sanctions relief — marking the most specific and detailed articulation of Iran's non-negotiable demands to date. This statement adds a legislative and strategic dimension to the already unified stance expressed across Iran's executive, diplomatic, military, and religious leadership.

The following table summarizes the key positions and context surrounding Iran's latest statements: