U.S.-Iran Talks Stall on 60% Uranium Stockpile as Temporary Framework Nears
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 29
U.S.-Iran Talks Stall on 60% Uranium Stockpile as Temporary Framework Nears
10 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 29
Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% remains the central unresolved issue even as U.S. and Iranian negotiators reportedly edge toward a temporary framework agreement.
Thousands of kilograms of enriched material may still sit inside damaged sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, where experts say airstrikes hit infrastructure but did not necessarily eliminate the nuclear material itself.
Securing or neutralizing that uranium could require excavation crews, IAEA inspectors and hazardous-materials teams working inside heavily damaged underground facilities, with options including destruction in Iran, monitored downblending or transfer to international custody in Kazakhstan.
Trump has said the material must be turned over to the United States or destroyed in place, while Iranian officials call retaining enrichment capability and stockpiles a negotiating red line.
Experts say any durable deal would need continuous IAEA access — including to military sites — plus strict limits or a long moratorium on future enrichment to block a rapid nuclear breakout.
Did U.S. military strikes make Iran’s nuclear stockpile more secure, complicating any future seizure or diplomatic deal?
Who truly holds more leverage: the U.S. with its military or Iran with its chokehold on the global economy?
60 Days to De-escalation: Inside the US-Iran Provisional Deal and Its Nuclear, Economic, and Regional Stakes
Overview
As of May 29, 2026, the United States and Iran are close to finalizing a provisional agreement that aims to de-escalate tensions and stabilize the volatile situation. Central to this deal is a 60-day memorandum, which creates a temporary framework for de-escalation and opens a window for intensive diplomatic engagement. The agreement includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key step for global trade, but remains contingent on final approval. This structured approach is designed to move both sides away from confrontation and toward meaningful negotiations, offering a critical opportunity for progress in a challenging regional context.