US Demands Iran Dismantle Nuclear Sites, Hand Over Enriched Uranium Stockpile: Reports

ISTANBUL, Feb 26 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US negotiators entered the third round of nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva on Thursday, demanding that Tehran dismantle its main nuclear facilities and hand over its entire stockpile of enriched uranium to Washington as part of a deal that has no expiration date, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing American media reports.

The US side was expected to press Iran to shut down its three principal nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, and transfer all remaining enriched uranium, estimated at around 10,000 kilogrammes, to the US, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials.

Washington also insisted that any agreement must be permanent, with no sunset clause.

On enrichment, the US has a zero-tolerance policy, though American negotiators may be willing to allow Iran to operate a reactor in Tehran for very low-level enrichment solely for medical purposes, the newspaper reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran is not currently enriching uranium.

However, Washington is offering only minimal sanctions relief upfront, with the possibility of additional concessions if Iran demonstrates sustained compliance over time, US officials told the media outlet.

Axios reported that the Geneva talks were held in two formats, indirectly and directly between US and Iranian negotiators, though neither Washington nor Tehran immediately publicly acknowledged the direct channel.

The US also signalled some flexibility on Iran's demand to retain enrichment rights, but only if Tehran could demonstrate that there was no pathway to a nuclear weapon.

While Washington ultimately wants Iran to scale back its ballistic missile programme and support for regional proxies, those issues were set aside for now in favour of focusing on the nuclear file.

The Geneva session was the longest of the three rounds held under Omani mediation, lasting more than three and a half hours and expected to continue after a break, according to the report.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the atmosphere as "intensive and serious," saying both sides had put forward "significant and practical proposals" on nuclear issues and sanctions relief, though he noted "contradictory statements” by certain US officials. There was no immediate statement from the US.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU