President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a proposal that would allow Iran to restart uranium enrichment in ten years. Trump has given various reasons for potential action against Iran, with a key focus on preventing the country from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Iran currently possesses 440.9kg of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, close to the 90% threshold for weapons-grade uranium, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This stockpile could potentially yield up to 10 nuclear bombs if Iran chooses to weaponize its program, as stated by IAEA Director General Rafael Gross.
Under the new plan being discussed, Iran would pause uranium enrichment for several years before gradually resuming production of low-enriched uranium over the next decade. Trump is said to have initially proposed a 20-year suspension to avoid similarities with the 2015 nuclear agreement terminated by the Obama administration, which restricted Iran’s uranium enrichment for 15 years.
Despite Iran’s claims of a peaceful nuclear program, the IAEA and Western countries believe Iran had a covert nuclear weapons program until 2003. Inspections by the IAEA have faced challenges since June 2025, following military strikes that weakened Iran’s defenses and nuclear facilities, hindering verification efforts.
Grossi mentioned that around 200kg of highly enriched uranium is suspected to be stored in tunnels at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex, with additional amounts likely located at the Natanz and Fordo sites. Experts have highlighted the difficulty of completely eliminating Iran’s enriched uranium due to the dispersed storage locations and logistical challenges.
The highly enriched uranium in Iran’s possession is stored in canisters weighing approximately 50kg each, with estimates suggesting the existence of 26 to possibly double that number of canisters. While these canisters are designed for secure storage and transport, concerns arise if they are damaged, potentially compromising safety standards, especially in scenarios like airstrikes.
Ensuring Iran’s compliance with uranium enrichment restrictions poses a complex task for the US and international agencies due to the technical and logistical intricacies involved.