A senior Iranian source has told Reuters that Tehran has not agreed to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium out of the country, directly contradicting earlier reports of a preliminary agreement with the United States.
Iran holds approximately 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60%, a level just shy of weapons-grade, plus 184.1 kg enriched to 20%, according to IAEA data. Iranian representatives have instead signaled a willingness to down-blend the material domestically under IAEA supervision, but Supreme Leader directives forbid exporting any nuclear materials.
The US had reportedly linked removal of the stockpile to releasing about $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds. Mediation by Pakistan has added another layer to the stalled negotiations. The stalemate keeps a floor under geopolitical risk premiums, particularly in oil markets, as any escalation could disrupt Persian Gulf supplies.