Iran Security Chief Vows No Enriched Uranium Will Leave the Country as Nuclear Talks Stall

Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei declared on November 11 that Tehran will not transfer any of its enriched nuclear material out of the country, stating that "not even a tiny bit of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran." Rezaei described the stockpile as a "major asset and national wealth for the Iranian people, intended for use within the country." He made the remarks to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen television network, and Reuters subsequently confirmed the statement.

The declaration is a direct rebuttal to a core U.S. demand in ongoing ceasefire and nuclear negotiations. Washington has sought the removal of Iran's highly enriched uranium as a condition of any peace arrangement following their military conflict, and Russia had also offered to receive the stockpile as part of a potential deal. According to U.N. experts, Iran still holds roughly 972 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a short technical step from the 90% level required for weapons-grade material, with the cache believed to be buried under damaged facilities. Rezaei's statement signals that the transfer of that stockpile remains a red line for Tehran, complicating any path to a formal agreement.