The new nuclear deal framework reportedly signed by U.S. President Donald Trump with Iran has prompted warnings from experts that it may be insufficient in limiting Tehran's control over its enriched uranium stockpiles.
Concerns Over Verification Gaps
Nuclear experts are criticizing the language in the reported Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Trump administration and Iran, which states that the fate of the uranium stockpile will be resolved through a process yet to be negotiated. Chuck DeVore, Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told Fox News Digital, "Unlimited verification is everything. There should be no barriers for the teams that will conduct inspections on the ground."
IAEA's Limited Access
The warnings are supported by a report released this month by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The report noted that the agency's visibility into Iran's declared nuclear program remains limited following last year's military attacks, and that aside from a single nuclear plant inspection, it has not received information from Iran about the status of other nuclear facilities.
Fate of Stockpiles Unclear
The Memorandum of Understanding defines the "downblending" of enriched uranium under IAEA supervision as the minimum acceptable method for handling the material. However, Andrea Stricker, Deputy Director of the Nonproliferation Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said a credible deal must begin with Iran's enriched uranium stockpile being recovered and secured.
Stricker stated that Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, if recovered and further enriched, could provide enough material for approximately 22 nuclear weapons.
Swiss Talks Postponed
The expert warnings come as planned follow-up talks in Switzerland, aimed at launching technical negotiations, were postponed on Friday, even though the Memorandum of Understanding is reportedly already signed. The delay leaves key nuclear details unresolved as the deal enters a 60-day negotiation window for a final agreement.
Administration Statements
A senior administration official told Fox News Digital that the Memorandum of Understanding requires the Iranian regime to confirm it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The official added that the U.S. has reached understandings with Iran on the uranium stockpile issue and that the new deal is the first step to turn those understandings into concrete results.
Vice President JD Vance also stated on Thursday that the benefits of the deal depend on Iran fulfilling its promises. Vance said, "They promised they would not enrich. They promised they would allow inspectors in to destroy that highly enriched stockpile. Of course, it becomes unusable. You take it somewhere else."
Lessons from Past Deals
Chuck DeVore said that for any new deal to be viable, the U.S. must avoid repeating a key weakness of the Obama-era nuclear deal: allowing Tehran to restrict access or exclude specific sites. DeVore warned that the "ultimate issue" is verification on the ground and that Washington cannot allow itself to be pushed into "a deal for the sake of a deal."
