Trump’s Special Envoy Details Iran Nuclear Negotiations
Envoy Steve Witkoff says U.S. rejects Iranian nuclear escalation amid revelations of enriched uranium stockpile
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Steve Witkoff, special envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump, has revealed new details on Tuesday about negotiations with Iran, highlighting Tehran’s possession of 460 kilograms of enriched uranium and its efforts to leverage the material in talks with the United States.
Witkoff emphasized that Trump will not allow Iran to fully reconstitute its nuclear weapons program.
Speaking on Fox News, Witkoff disclosed that Iranian officials claimed during discussions that they have a “legitimate right” to manage the entirety of their nuclear stockpile. In response, U.S. negotiators made clear that Trump maintains a “legitimate authority” to prevent Iran from restoring its nuclear weapons program.
Witkoff noted that Iranian negotiators believe they can gain concessions through pressure and coercion, describing this strategy as “cynical.” He added that the United States had been willing during previous rounds to reach a “judicious agreement,” but it is now evident that any deal would not resemble that approach.
According to Witkoff, Iranian officials reported in initial talks that their 460 kilograms of uranium is enriched to 60 percent, which he said would be sufficient to produce up to 11 nuclear bombs.
He further noted that Iranian negotiators reportedly expressed pride in having bypassed international monitoring protocols to reach this level.
The revelations underscore the continued tension over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the challenges facing any potential diplomatic resolution, with U.S. officials insisting that Tehran must not regain the capacity to produce nuclear weapons.