Iran's Uranium Enrichment Duality In English And Farsi Gets A Trump Reaction

Iran and the United States have agreed to a tentative, two-week ceasefire in the war that tore across the Middle East over the past five weeks, disrupting the global economy and energy supply. But questions soon emerged over what appeared to be contradicting proposals to halt the fighting, with Iran insisting it would control and charge ships passing through the vital Strait of Hormuz and continue to enrich uranium.

Iran's uranium enrichment demand was not included in Tehran's English-language statement shared by the United Nations, but it was part of the Farsi release circulated by Iranian state media, indicating a possible gap in the communication.

Trump, who initially called Iran's 10-point proposal "workable," soon called it "fraudulent" without elaborating. The American commander in chief insisted Iran's enriched uranium would be "perfectly taken care of" and suggested US warships would be "hangin' around" the narrow waterway through which a fifth of all oil and natural gas passes in peacetime. 

What Trump Said

Under Iran's current agreement, many of America's objectives in the war are still in doubt. Iran's enriched uranium disposition -- the foundation of its nuclear weapons programme -- remains unknown. The Islamic Republic also still holds an influence over regional proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Trump has been inconsistent in his conditions for ending fighting-- regularly backtracking from hardline demands-- but he has maintained that ending Tehran's nuclear program entirely was a key point of entering the war. 

Talking to news agency AFP, Trump said Iran's uranium will "be perfectly taken care of, or I wouldn't have settled."

AFP

Currently, Iran is believed to possess about 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent. This is the level at which it becomes much faster to enrich to the 90 per cent threshold needed to produce a nuclear weapon. The quantity of uranium that Iran has is theoretically enough to produce more than 10 nuclear warheads. 

Trump was asked if he would go back to his original threats to destroy Iranian "civilisation" if Tehran didn't agree to his demands. "Well, that you're going to have to see," he said. 

On Iran's Hormuz proposal, Trump said, "We have many points. We have a 15-point transaction, of which most of those things have been agreed on. We'll see what happens. We'll see if it gets there."

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US leader also said that the US will remain "hangin' around" in the region to make sure "everything goes well".

And even if Iran does agree to reopen Hormuz without levying tolls or other payments on the passage of vessels, its ability to control the key geopolitical chokepoint is clearer now than ever. Now, with both parties projecting the ceasefire as a victory, the disagreement over its terms could be a potential flashpoint as the days go on.

Iran's Proposal

Tehran has said it forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan, including lifting sanctions and accepting its nuclear enrichment. 

In a statement, Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the ceasefire plan would require "continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz", "acceptance of enrichment," and "the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions." Other key demands in the blueprint, offered through mediators in Pakistan, include US military withdrawal from the Middle East, an end to attacks on Iran and its allies, the release of frozen Iranian assets; and a UN Security Council resolution making any deal binding. Crucially, the plan also calls for expanded Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.