Iran Weighs Sending 60% Enriched Uranium to China as US Ceasefire Talks Continue
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · May 27
Iran Weighs Sending 60% Enriched Uranium to China as US Ceasefire Talks Continue
2 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · May 27
Iran is considering transferring its 60% enriched uranium to China during ceasefire negotiations with the United States, putting one of the talks' most sensitive issues back at the center.
China has not denied the reports, and its Foreign Ministry said Beijing is in close contact with relevant parties and is willing to play a constructive role in resolving the Iranian nuclear issue.
The proposal faces a major hurdle: Washington may resist any transfer unless US or IAEA inspectors get long-term access to the material in China, where no US-China inspection framework exists.
That stockpile is a core target of the negotiations because it could be quickly weaponized, and Iran's failure to resolve it helped trigger Israel's 2025 strikes and the US-Israel attacks in 2026.
If Iran's uranium is safe in a bunker, not buried in rubble, what real leverage does Tehran hold in ceasefire talks?
With inspectors blocked and stockpiles hidden, how can the world ever verify any Iranian nuclear deal?
Can arch-rivals America and China cooperate to disarm Iran, or is this a strategic trap?
Iran’s 60% Enriched Uranium Standoff: Blocked Transfers, China Deal, and Global Security Risks (May 2026)
Overview
As of late May 2026, Iran’s refusal to transfer its highly enriched uranium abroad has become a major obstacle in international negotiations. Guided by the Supreme Leader’s directive and security concerns about future attacks from the United States and Israel, Iranian officials insist on keeping the uranium within the country. This stance directly clashes with U.S. demands for the uranium’s removal. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency has lost the ability to fully monitor Iran’s stockpile due to restricted access, making verification difficult and increasing global worries about nuclear proliferation and regional stability.