TEHRAN — Iran signaled on Monday that it may be willing to reduce its stockpile of highly enriched uranium if all international sanctions against the country are fully lifted, a move that could reshape stalled nuclear negotiations and ease rising tensions with the West, according to Mehr News Agency.
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told reporters that Tehran could consider diluting uranium enriched to 60 percent, a level close to weapons grade, if economic sanctions imposed on the country are completely removed. His comments come as indirect talks between Iran and the United States continue, focusing on both political and technical aspects of Iran’s nuclear program.
Eslami said that Iran remains in ongoing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but criticized the organization for failing to respond to attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, which Tehran attributes to Israel and the United States. He said the IAEA, as the global nuclear watchdog, has a responsibility to condemn any military strike on facilities under its safeguards.
“If Iran is operating under IAEA supervision and transparency, the Agency cannot remain silent in the face of such incidents,” Eslami said.
He added that IAEA inspectors have resumed visits to Iranian facilities that were not damaged in the attacks, following authorization from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Additional inspections are scheduled in the coming days, signaling continued technical cooperation despite political tensions.
Eslami stressed that Iran expects its rights under international nuclear agreements to be fully respected. He said the IAEA is obligated not only to monitor compliance but also to support the peaceful development of nuclear technology in all member states, including Iran.
The prospect of diluting 60 percent enriched uranium represents a significant potential concession from Tehran, though Eslami made clear that any such step would depend entirely on the complete removal of sanctions. Western governments have long sought limits on Iran’s enrichment activities, warning that higher enrichment levels shorten the time needed to produce material for a nuclear weapon.
Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear program is strictly peaceful and insists that sanctions relief must come before any further compromises.
As negotiations continue, Eslami’s remarks suggest a cautious opening, one that could revive diplomacy if matched by concrete political action.
