US says it offered Iran uranium for civilian nuclear programme, but Tehran refused

The United States offered to sell Iran uranium for use in a civilian nuclear programme during earlier negotiations aimed at ending the war on Iran, but Tehran refused, according to the US ambassador to the United Nations. Mike Waltz said the proposal was discussed as part of efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining highly enriched uranium while still allowing a peaceful nuclear programme under international rules. He said the arrangement would have been similar to the model used by the United Arab Emirates.

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Waltz made the remarks on Sunday, saying US negotiators had even offered to supply uranium directly. He said the administration of President Donald Trump was open to Iran keeping a civilian nuclear programme if it met its obligations under international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He also said there were several ways to deal with Iran's existing uranium stockpile, including the possibility that Tehran could hand over material it already has.

The comments highlight a long-running dispute over Iran's nuclear activities and the limits of any future agreement. Washington has sought assurances that Iran cannot reconstitute highly enriched uranium or move closer to a nuclear weapon, while Iran has said its programme is for civilian purposes only, including electricity generation and medical treatment. The issue remains central to wider diplomatic efforts because any deal would need to address both Iran's current stockpile and the terms of any future supply.

Waltz pointed to the United Arab Emirates as an example of a civilian nuclear framework that operates under international inspection and legal obligations. The UAE signed an agreement with the United States in 2009 and agreed not to produce enriched uranium domestically or reprocess spent fuel on its own. That comparison suggests Washington is still looking for a model that would allow civilian nuclear use while limiting proliferation risks.

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The remarks also come against a broader regional backdrop in which several states operate civilian nuclear programmes, including Egypt and Turkiye. At the same time, the question of nuclear capability remains politically sensitive across the Middle East, where concerns about enrichment, inspections and treaty commitments continue to shape negotiations. The US position appears to be that any arrangement with Iran must be tightly controlled and consistent with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

What remains unclear is whether the offer was part of a formal proposal, how far the talks progressed, and whether any new channel for negotiations is still open. It is also not clear what specific terms were attached to the uranium supply or how the issue of Iran's existing material would be resolved. The next developments will likely depend on whether Washington and Tehran can bridge the gap between civilian use and the restrictions the US says are needed to prevent weaponisation.

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