With the announcement of the US to bring back Iran’s enriched Uranium, the controversy regarding nuclear diplomacy, nuclear security, & non-proliferation has been reignited. In an interview with Reuters, President Donald Trump discussed the U.S.’s plan to work with Iran & that they will bring back uranium as soon as they can. While the U.S. claims that there is a deal with Iran, the Iranian government has denied the agreement. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that transferring Uranium is “not an option.”

Source: X

What Does Trump’s Uranium Recovery Plan Involve?

• Extracting the uranium proposed policy: Trump announced that the U.S. will “excavate” nuclear dust, said to be the residues of attacks on Iranian nuclear installations. As estimated by the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are more than 900 pounds (≈408 kg) of uranium, enriched at over 60%, nearing the weapons-grade level in Iran.
• No monetary dealings reported: Refuting rumors of any $20 billion uranium deal, Trump made it clear that “no money changes hands” in this regard, unlike other nuclear policies such as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
• Strategic naval deployment: U.S. plans to maintain its naval power close to Iran, especially near the Strait of Hormuz, which carries nearly 20% of the world’s oil supplies, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
• Time frame and diplomacy: Within days, Trump says that talks may advance, while experts from the Council on Foreign Relations argue that nuclear diplomacy takes months or even years.

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Why Is Iran’s Enriched Uranium a Global Concern?

• Levels of enrichment and weaponization: At 60% enrichment, uranium is not weapons-grade, which requires 90% enrichment, but greatly reduces the “breakout period” to produce a bomb, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.
• Controversy between civilian and military purposes: Iran maintains that its program serves energy production needs, consistent with its rights under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Nevertheless, enrichment levels are substantially higher than the 3.67% agreed to under the 2015 agreement.
• Security concerns for the region: Rival nations in the Middle East, such as Israel, consider Iran’s nuclear program a threat, partly accounting for past military attacks and heightened tensions.
• Economic considerations: The economic embargo against Iran has cut its oil exports in half since 2018, according to the International Energy Agency.

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Can the US and Iran Realistically Reach a Uranium Deal?

As Brookings Institute experts pointed out, a lack of trust, issues of verification, and changing political climates make it highly unlikely that a quick agreement would be reached between Iran & the U.S, considering that Iran denies that it has transferred any enriched uranium to another country. Without some degree of agreement from both parties, it will be impossible to have any diplomatic solution to this impasse.

In addition, the logistics and technical challenges associated with acquiring and transporting enriched uranium would further complicate any agreement. Handling enriched uranium involves strict protocols regarding safety, special handling precautions, and methods to ensure that enriched uranium will not be diverted to different uses. US to bring back Iran’s enriched Uranium, the actual implementation would require coordination with the IAEA and could take several months before either country could complete taking the necessary steps to bring an enriched uranium agreement to fruition.

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