The United States offered to sell uranium to Iran for use in a civilian program, but Iran declined the proposal, according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. Waltz stated on NBC’s Meet the Press that the arrangement would have been similar to that with the United Arab Emirates, which operates a peaceful nuclear program and complies with international law and inspection regimes.
Waltz noted that the Trump administration was willing to allow Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear program if it adhered to its obligations under international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He mentioned that there were various approaches the Trump administration considered to prevent Iran from accessing highly enriched uranium, including requiring Tehran to surrender any such material it currently possesses.
The UAE, which signed an agreement with the US in 2009, generates electricity from a nuclear power plant and has committed not to produce enriched uranium domestically or reprocess spent fuel independently. Trump indicated that a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia was reached this year, although specific details have not been disclosed, and the agreement is reportedly contingent on Saudi Arabia's acceptance of the Abraham Accords. Other countries in the region, such as Egypt and Turkiye, also have civilian nuclear programs.
Pakistan is known to operate a nuclear arsenal, and Israel is believed to possess nuclear weapons, though neither country is a signatory to the NPT. A significant issue in the US-Iran relationship has been the management of uranium that Iran currently holds and the conditions under which future supplies could be provided without enabling the production of nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its uranium enrichment is solely for civilian applications, including electricity generation and medical research.
Iran reportedly has over 440 kg (970 lb) of uranium enriched to 60% purity, while uranium enriched to approximately 90% purity is suitable for nuclear weapons. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) had limited Iran's uranium enrichment to 3.67% under strict international oversight in exchange for sanctions relief, but Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, citing its leniency towards Iran.
On September 10, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed concern regarding Iran’s ongoing noncompliance with the NPT, which prohibits the production of nuclear weapons and requires adherence to IAEA safeguards for uranium used in civilian programs. The IAEA has not had access to key Iranian nuclear facilities since June 2025, following attacks by Israel and the US during a 12-day conflict.
Iranian officials have countered the IAEA's findings, claiming they were influenced by political pressure from the US and its allies, asserting that they continue to respect their treaty obligations but cannot permit inspections due to safety concerns from potential US and Israeli attacks. Trump has previously stated intentions to destroy or retrieve Iran's enriched uranium, with claims made in April that he had persuaded Iran to surrender its enriched uranium, which Iranian officials have denied, stating that such material would not be transferred outside the country.
On Saturday, Trump rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, asserting that Iran's urgency was due to their unfavorable position in the conflict. In a separate interview, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, indicated that Iran is prepared for the possibility of war, stating that he is currently pursuing diplomacy but sees no reason to return to negotiations.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera English