American Vice President J.D. Vance declared on June 15 that the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will assist Iranian authorities in eliminating their existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The announcement, detailed in a memorandum of understanding, also includes provisions permitting international nuclear inspectors to resume operations at Iranian facilities under new agreements.
“One of the key parts of the agreement is that the IAEA and the United States will help Iran destroy stocks of highly enriched material,” Vance stated during an interview with NBC News. The Vice President further indicated sanctions against the Islamic Republic could be eased if Tehran implements measures to eliminate its uranium enrichment reserves.
“This is pressure from the international community on their activities. This is object monitoring. And we know how to do it because we’ve done it before. Therefore, we will contribute with the help of our experts,” he added.
Iranian authorities have reportedly dismantled tunnels and mining entrances at highly enriched uranium storage sites following U.S. threats to take control of these stocks by force. Most reserves are believed to be situated in collapsed tunnels within Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex.
On June 12, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi asserted that resolving the issue of highly enriched uranium must occur exclusively on Iranian soil, stating topics such as nuclear programs and uranium enrichment have been advanced to a secondary stage of negotiations.
