Trump envoy says Iran must ‘eliminate’ enrichment programme

WASHINGTON: Iran must completely halt its uranium enrichment as part of any nuclear deal, US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday, after suggesting it could continue doing so at a low level.

“Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East -- meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponisation programme,” Witkoff said on X.

The previous day, he appeared to stop short of calling for a complete dismantling of Iran´s nuclear programme, saying in a Fox News interview that “this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment programme.”

“They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” the real estate magnate said, referencing the maximum level allowed under the prior nuclear agreement that Trump exited during his first term, in 2018.

The multi-party 2015 deal that Trump abandoned aimed to make it practically impossible for Iran to build an atomic bomb, while at the same time allowing it to pursue a civil nuclear programme.

The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report said Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, nearing the weapons grade of 90 percent. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt meanwhile told journalists on Tuesday that President Donald Trump had spoken with Oman´s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, thanking him for hosting talks on a deal with Tehran.

Trump has threatened to strike Iran´s nuclear facilities if no deal was reached, calling Iranian authorities “radicals” who should not possess nuclear weapons.Iran has repeatedly demanded the right to maintain a civil nuclear programme, meaning the latest iteration of US thinking will cause consternation in Tehran and could strengthen hardliners, who maintain the US cannot be trusted.