Iran rules out sending enriched nuclear material abroad, warns of striking distant U.S. bases

Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attacks will bring swift retaliation against distant American bases. Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei made these remarks in a televised interview with Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV. Mr. Rezaei stated that no talks are currently happening between Tehran and Washington. Mr. Rezaei explained that Iran needs this enriched material to build ships and submarines that run on nuclear energy, adding that Tehran has already informed Moscow that the material will stay inside the country for domestic use. Russia previously offered to take uranium out of Iran to calm U.S. worries, but noted the final choice rests with Tehran. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran held 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent back in June 2025, though how much survived recent attacks remains unknown.

Context

Iran's nuclear program has been a major point of tension between Tehran and Western nations for years. While Western countries suspect Iran wants to build atomic weapons, Iran insists its nuclear work is entirely peaceful.