U.S. negotiations with Iran collapsed after Iranian officials openly declared their intention to continue enriching uranium to levels capable of producing nuclear weapons, according to Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy. Witkoff said the statement surprised the American delegation during the talks. He recalled exchanging uneasy glances with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, when Iranian negotiators outlined their position at the start of discussions. According to Witkoff, Iranian officials insisted they had an undeniable right to enrich all the uranium in their possession. U.S. negotiators immediately rejected that claim, maintaining that Washington had the authority to push for a complete halt to Iran’s enrichment program.
The situation worsened when Iran refused a U.S. proposal to freeze enrichment activities for ten years. Under the offer, the United States would have supplied Iran with nuclear fuel at no cost. Witkoff said Iran’s refusal convinced the American team that Tehran intended to continue pursuing uranium enrichment capable of supporting nuclear weapons. During the talks, Iranian negotiators reportedly acknowledged holding roughly 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. Witkoff said officials admitted that amount could potentially be converted into as many as eleven nuclear bombs. He added that the Iranian delegation appeared open about the stockpile and even suggested they could bypass international monitoring systems while expanding it.
Tensions escalated further during a meeting in Geneva when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly shouted after U.S. negotiators repeated their demand for a decade-long halt to enrichment. After the talks collapsed, the U.S. delegation briefed President Trump, concluding that Iran showed little interest in reaching a meaningful compromise.
