NEED TO KNOW

• Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered the country's near-weapons-grade uranium not be sent abroad.
• The 440kg stockpile has been unaccounted for since the June 2025 strikes buried it.
• Trump told Israel any deal must remove the material. Tehran just said no.

TEHRAN (TDR) — Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile must remain inside the country, hardening Tehran's position against the central US demand at peace talks.

The big picture: Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's order reflects a consensus across Iran's establishment that shipping the material out would invite future strikes. The directive lands as the US and Iran trade draft proposals through Pakistani mediation.

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• One source called the export option "deep suspicion" of US intent.
• Iran signaled openness earlier this year to diluting the stockpile under IAEA supervision instead.
• Trump said this week the war is in its "final stages" but warned of resumed strikes.

Why it matters: The dispute over where Iran's uranium sits is the single largest obstacle blocking a ceasefire becoming a peace deal, with Strait of Hormuz traffic running at roughly 5% of pre-war levels.

• US position: stockpile leaves Iran or enrichment halts for 20 years.
• Iranian position: enrichment is a "national right," material stays on Iranian soil.
• Strait of Hormuz shipping traffic remains at a fraction of pre-war levels.

Driving the news: Khamenei's directive was reported Thursday by Reuters citing two senior Iranian officials. The order surfaces as Tehran reviews Washington's latest draft.

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• Iran's ISNA news agency reported the US draft "narrowed existing gaps to some extent."
• The IAEA has not accessed the bombed sites or verified the material's location in over eight months.
• Sources cited "feasible formulas" including dilution under IAEA supervision.

What they're saying:

• Iranian source — "The Supreme Leader's directive, and the consensus within the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country."
• Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel — Will not consider the war over until uranium is removed, proxy militias end, and ballistic missiles are eliminated.

Yes, but: Removing the material requires first finding it. The 440.9 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium documented by the IAEA before the June 2025 strikes has been buried under rubble at bombed facilities, and inspectors have not been allowed back.

• Iran's safeguards violations predate the current standoff.
• Trump envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News Iranian negotiators previously confirmed roughly 460kg at 60% purity.

Between the lines: The directive isn't just a negotiating posture — it's an acknowledgment of leverage Tehran would lose by giving it up. The stockpile is the only chip Iran holds that Washington genuinely fears. Shipping it out trades that leverage for promises from an administration that broke the last nuclear deal.

• Khamenei is reportedly sidelined after injuries from earlier strikes; the directive may reflect establishment consensus more than personal authority.
• Both sides have reason to keep the issue unresolved short-term: Tehran preserves deterrent, Trump preserves military option.

What's next:

• Iran finalizes its response to Washington's latest draft proposal.
• Trump warned of "nasty" consequences if no deal materializes within days.
• IAEA continues to lack access to verify the disputed stockpile's location.

Should a peace deal hinge on removing material the inspectors can't even find?

Sources

This report was compiled using reporting from Reuters via Kathmandu Post, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, Xinhua, Investing.com, Euronews, the IAEA Board of Governors Report, and Arms Control Association

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