WASHINGTON — In a significant development, American negotiators have indicated that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has approved a preliminary framework for a peace plan. This proposal involves Iran agreeing “in principle” to eliminate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The proposed agreement aims to restore the free movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted by three months of conflict. However, the finalization of this deal could take several days as both parties continue to negotiate the exact language of the agreement.
A senior official from the Trump administration explained, “They will reopen the strait in return for us lifting the blockade. They have agreed in principle to dispose of the highly enriched uranium, but there remains the issue of determining the exact process for doing so.”
Confidence remains high among U.S. officials that the supreme leader has endorsed this broad framework.
While the agreement would ensure the strait is accessible without new tolls, it leaves several critical issues unresolved. Future negotiations are expected to address these, with sanctions relief contingent upon Iran’s progress in eliminating nuclear material and implementing measures to prevent future enrichment.
The Iranian side has “national pride considerations” for offloading the material, the US official said.
President Trump, who on Saturday announced the pending agreement, has floated destroying the roughly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium, and also has mentioned the Iranians working with the Chinese government help to dig it out of deeply buried locations.
“A lot of this debate is not really what happens to the stockpiled material, but it’s how the Iranians can sell it to their own hardliners and to their own population in a way that gets us what we need as well,” the official said.
“No one disputes that the stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of. It’s a question about how. And then simultaneously, while we’re figuring out that question of how, we’re going to have this thing where the straits open, the blockade is lifted and we get the economy some breathing room.”
The official added: “Even if we get this language in a good place, it is going to take days for it to filter through their system and to get an approval.”
The question of sanctions relief, meanwhile, could be summed up as “no dust, no dollars,” the official said.
“In other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.