US to recover uranium from Iran, says Trump

President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday that the US will work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium ​and bring it back to the United States.

"We're going to get ‌it together. We're going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery... We'll bring it back to the United ​States," Trump said during a phone interview.

He referred to "nuclear dust" ​and added that it would be retrieved "very soon."

Trump's mention of "nuclear ⁠dust" is a reference to what he believes remains after the United States ​and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear installations in June last year.

Iran is believed ​to possess more than 900 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60% purity. The issue of Iran's nuclear program has been one of the thorniest issues in US-Iran negotiations.

Trump has ​said a primary reason for the war was to prevent Iran from getting ​a nuclear weapon. 

Iran says its enrichment of uranium, a process that produces fuel for ‌power ⁠plants and nuclear warheads depending on its duration,  is strictly for peaceful civilian use.

Trump, clearly excited at the prospect of a deal to end the war, said the US will maintain its naval blockade against Iran until an agreement ​is finalized.

"I think ​the deal will ⁠go very quickly. We're getting along very well with Iran," he said.

Trump said more talks will be needed to reach ​a deal and that these would take place "probably over ​the weekend." ⁠He added that he "might" go to Islamabad once a deal is made.

"I haven't made that determination," he said.

Trump also said the United States was working with Iran to ⁠remove ​mines from the strait.

Responding to a report that ​the United States was considering a $20 billion cash for uranium deal, Trump said: "It's totally false. No money ​is changing hands."—Reuters