The White House said on Saturday that it is in Iran’s “best interest” to accept its nuclear deal proposal, following a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency that the country is rapidly increasing its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium.
“President Trump has made it clear that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“Special Envoy [Steve] Witkoff has sent the Iranian regime a detailed and acceptable proposal, and accepting it is in their best interests.” The administration will not comment on the proposal’s details to the media in order to respect the ongoing negotiations.”
According to the IAEA report, Iran had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium by up to 60% as of May 17, a nearly 50% increase from the agency’s previous report in February, which put the stockpile at 605.8 pounds.
The report stated that Iran is “the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material,” which is a “serious concern.”
The IAEA also stated that 92 pounds of 60% enriched uranium is sufficient to produce an atomic bomb if enriched to 90%.
Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but US intelligence agencies say the country has “undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued a joint statement claiming that the report was biased and unprofessional, citing “unreliable and differing information sources.”
The press release continued: “The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its disappointment about the report, which was prepared by imposing pressure on the agency for political purposes, and expresses its obvious objection about its content.” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that he was unsure whether a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran would be reached soon.
“Iran is sincere about finding a diplomatic solution that benefits all sides. But getting there requires an agreement that fully terminates all sanctions and protects Iran’s nuclear rights, including enrichment,” he wrote.
According to The New York Times, Oman Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi presented the Trump administration’s first formal proposal in Tehran on Saturday, which calls for Iran to stop all uranium enrichment and for a regional consortium of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab states, as well as the United States, to produce nuclear power.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a rare statement regarding the IAEA report, describing it as “grave.”
“The agency presents a stark picture that serves as a clear warning sign: Despite countless warnings by the international community, Iran is totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,” Netanyahu’s representative said.
“The report reinforces what Israel has been saying for years: Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful. This is evident from the alarming scale of Iran’s uranium enrichment activity.
This level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification.
“The report clearly indicates that Iran continues to violate its fundamental commitments and obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and refuses to cooperate with IAEA inspectors. The international community must act quickly to put a stop to Iran.”
