The US president made the assertion that Iran agreed to hand over its “nuclear dust” in an exchange with reporters before departing for an event in Las Vegas on Thursday (Washington time). If true, it would be a major concession from Iran, and would lock in a key demand of the US to end the conflict.
“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that’s way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers,” said Trump, using a term he’s adopted as shorthand for the roughly 970 pounds of enriched uranium buried under Iranian nuclear sites damaged by strikes on the country last year.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that it doesn’t seek a nuclear weapon and that its program is for peaceful purposes. Neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have talked about what would be a major breakthrough.
Pressed by a reporter on what he was waiting for to move forward, Trump offered that it was “very complicated”.
He added, “I don’t think we’re waiting. I think we’re moving very fast. It could happen pretty quickly.”
The White House did not respond to follow-up queries about whether Iran has agreed to give up its enriched uranium, under what terms and to whom it would be surrendered. Trump has previously made claims about Iran’s nuclear program that have turned out to be imprecise.
AP
