Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered that near-weapons-grade uranium stockpiles remain within the country, according to senior sources cited by Reuters. The directive represents a significant policy position regarding Iran's nuclear material holdings and their disposition.

Key Development

The order, as reported by Reuters citing senior sources, pertains specifically to near-weapons-grade uranium — material enriched to levels approaching weapons-usable concentrations. The instruction mandates that such stockpiles be kept inside Iranian territory rather than transferred or relocated abroad.

Source and Attribution

The information was attributed to senior sources by Reuters. The details surrounding the directive are as follows:

Context

Near-weapons-grade uranium refers to uranium enriched to levels significantly higher than those used for civilian nuclear energy purposes. The retention of such material within Iran's borders is a matter of considerable international significance, particularly in the context of broader diplomatic and non-proliferation discussions involving the country's nuclear activities.

The Reuters report, based on senior sources, does not provide additional details regarding the specific circumstances or timing that prompted the Supreme Leader's directive. No further elaboration on the scope or enforcement of the order was included in the available source information.

Iran's Islamic Students' News Agency (ISNA) has reported that Iran is actively working on a reply to a message received from the United States, which has reduced gaps between the two nations to an extent. In a further development, ISNA also reported that Iran is discussing a framework and steps to build trust as part of the ongoing diplomatic exchange.

Key Developments

The following details outline the latest state of communications between Iran and the United States, as reported by ISNA:

According to ISNA, while the US message has contributed to narrowing differences between the two sides to some degree, Iran is still in the process of formulating and delivering its response. Alongside this, Iran is also engaged in discussions around a broader framework and confidence-building measures, signalling a more structured approach to the diplomatic dialogue. No further details regarding the content, context, or channel of the correspondence have been made available in the source data.