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Last Updated:April 18, 2026, 05:12 IST
Trump claims US and Iran could jointly remove enriched uranium to US soil under a near complete peace deal, but Iran rejects transferring its stockpile anywhere.
U.S. President Donald Trump (AFP Photo)
US President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and Iran could jointly remove enriched uranium from Iranian nuclear sites under a potential peace deal, suggesting the material would then be transferred to US territory.
Speaking at an event hosted by Turning Point USA in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said the process would involve physically extracting nuclear material from the ground.
“We’re going to go in with Iran, with lots of excavators… we need the biggest excavators you can imagine," he said, adding that the material would be taken “back home to the USA very soon."
Contradiction with Iran’s position
Trump’s remarks came hours after Iran’s foreign ministry said its stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred “anywhere", highlighting a clear gap between the two sides’ positions.
The US has long accused Iran of stockpiling enriched uranium for potential use in developing a nuclear weapon — a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.
‘Nuclear dust’ and deal details unclear
Trump referred to the uranium stockpile as “nuclear dust", a term he has frequently used to describe enriched uranium or remnants from strikes on nuclear facilities.
He had earlier claimed that Iran had agreed in principle to hand over its uranium stockpile, though no formal details of such an arrangement have been made public.
Optimism over deal
Despite the apparent differences, Trump struck an optimistic tone, saying there were “no sticking points" in negotiations and that a deal with Iran was “very close".
The remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and stabilise the region following months of conflict.
Context of remarks
Trump made the comments during a speech at a conservative gathering, where he highlighted his administration’s foreign policy efforts.
The proposal to jointly remove uranium- if realised would mark a significant and unprecedented step in nuclear diplomacy, though major questions remain over feasibility, verification and agreement between the two sides.
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
April 18, 2026, 05:12 IST
News world 'Back Home To The USA': Trump Says He Will Bring Iran’s Uranium To US
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