Iran agrees to transfer enriched uranium stock, but recipient remains sticking point

Iran has agreed to transfer its entire stock of enriched uranium, but the recipient has not yet been decided, Israel Hayom reported on April 20, citing three U.S. and regional diplomatic sources. Candidates currently under consideration include Russia, which has expressed its willingness to accept the material; the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which would need to secure separate storage and processing facilities; and the United States. The U.S. is demanding involvement in tracking the uranium's location, a condition Iran has rejected, stating it is only prepared to allow the participation of IAEA personnel. This progress in recent weeks during contacts between the U.S. and Iran is the backdrop for President Trump's recent optimism, although fundamental disagreements between the two sides persist. Prior to the report, Iran's deputy foreign minister had stated that the country would never hand over its enriched uranium to the United States.