Trump Vows to Take and Destroy Iran's Uranium Stockpile

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei ordered that stocks of highly enriched uranium not leave the country before his death, according to two senior Iranian sources. Tehran is thus toughening its stance in sensitive negotiations with the United States to end the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

The issue of shipping out the uranium is one of Washington's main demands. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US would not allow Iran to keep its stockpile of uranium enriched to a level close to producing a nuclear weapon.

"We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it", the White House chief told reporters.

According to Reuters, Israel has received assurances from Washington that any peace deal must include the removal of Iran's enriched uranium abroad. At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the conflict will not end until Iran loses its nuclear capabilities and the support of regional allied militias.

Tehran argues that handing over its uranium stockpile would weaken the country against future US or Israeli attacks. Iran has long rejected accusations that it is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, although its uranium enrichment programme has raised Western concerns.

(reuters, max)