Trump Vows US Action Against Iran's Uranium Access
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will target any Iranian attempting to access the country’s highly enriched uranium, asserting that the material is under constant U.S. military surveillance. In a recent interview, Trump downplayed concerns about Iran retaining the uranium, stating it remains buried under bombed nuclear facilities and can be retrieved “whenever we want.” He credited the U.S. Space Force with monitoring the sites so closely that any intruder would be identified and eliminated.
The fate of Iran’s enriched uranium is a central issue in ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran following a 10-week U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran. The U.S. demands that Iran transfer the uranium abroad and dismantle its nuclear program entirely. However, Tehran insists on maintaining its right to domestic enrichment, calling the material “as sacred as Iranian soil.” Reports suggest the uranium remains at sites bombed in June 2025, though Iran has not confirmed its location.
Trump previously claimed Iran agreed to allow the U.S. to retrieve the uranium, but Iranian officials swiftly rejected this. Iran currently holds over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity—close to weapons-grade levels (90%). This escalation follows Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA deal, which had limited Iran’s enrichment to 3.67% in exchange for sanctions relief. Since then, Iran has advanced its program, denying any intent to build nuclear weapons.
Trump justified the conflict by claiming Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons, calling its leadership “crazy.” The war has disrupted global oil supplies due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, pushing U.S. gasoline prices above $4.50 per gallon—up from under $3 pre-war—and fueling inflation. Despite a recent truce, skirmishes continue in the Gulf as the U.S. enforces a siege on Iranian ports.
Iran has reportedly responded to a latest U.S. peace proposal through Pakistani mediators, but Trump insists the war isn’t over, claiming Iran is “defeated” but not finished. He suggested the U.S. could resume strikes, having completed only 70% of its military objectives.