Zero stockpiles. Irreversible fuel. But Trump says he’s “not happy.” Is a last-minute nuclear deal within reach?
Iran has agreed it would “never, ever” possess nuclear material capable of producing a bomb, according to Oman’s foreign minister, in what appears to be a high-stakes diplomatic effort to prevent possible U.S. military action.
Speaking to CBS News after meeting U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi described what he called a significant shift in Iran’s position. Unlike the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated during the Obama administration, he said, the current proposal would involve “zero stockpiling” of enriched uranium.
“Now we are talking about zero stockpiling,” Albusaidi said, adding that any existing enriched uranium would be diluted “to the lowest level possible” and converted into nuclear fuel in a manner that would be “irreversible.”
If implemented, such a measure would go beyond earlier frameworks by permanently neutralizing Iran’s accumulated material rather than simply limiting enrichment levels.
Albusaidi expressed confidence that a “peace deal is within our reach,” while urging President Donald Trump to allow diplomacy additional time.
But Trump signaled frustration with the pace and substance of talks. “I am not happy with the negotiation,” he said bluntly. “I say no enrichment.”
The dispute over enrichment lies at the heart of the standoff. Iran maintains it has the sovereign right to enrich uranium for civilian energy purposes. Washington insists that even low-level enrichment leaves open a pathway to weapons capability.
The diplomatic push comes amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and repeated warnings from Trump that force remains an option if negotiations collapse.
Whether Iran’s reported commitment to eliminate stockpiles satisfies Washington’s demand for “no enrichment” remains unclear. The gap between zero stockpiling and zero enrichment could determine whether the crisis moves toward de-escalation — or confrontation.
