U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that an agreement with Iran would allow it to enrich uranium at low levels that “could never be used for military purposes.”
“They can never go beyond a certain amount,” he said in a phone call with The New York Times.
The report suggested that the deal could include a 15–20 year period of “suspension,” but it was unclear whether this would involve a total ban on enrichment.
When asked whether the limit would match the 3.67% cap set under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Trump said the current memorandum of understanding would ensure that “they can only enrich for nonmilitary purposes. Forever.”
He added that, in time, the U.S. will join Iran in “down-blending” the enriched uranium it currently possesses, but he offered no timeline for when this measure would be implemented, the report continued.
Trump further suggested that the new agreement grants the U.S. “strong policing powers” to ensure that Iran is not conducting nuclear work in violation of any of its commitments, the Times reported.
Whereas the 2015 JCPOA allowed inspection in Iranian nuclear facilities to stretch out for months, the accord scheduled for signing on June 19 will reportedly provide for near-instant access.
During Trump’s first presidential tenure in 2018, he withdrew Washington from the JCPOA and re-imposed heavy sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
According to reports, Iran holds roughly 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of a stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, a short technical step away from the weapons-grade level of 90%.
Israeli and U.S. forces bombed the main Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day “Operation Rising Lion/Midnight Hammer” in June 2025, reportedly burying much of the material deep underground.
