Kazakhstan has offered to store Iran's 440kg uranium stockpile enriched to 60% purity as part of nuclear negotiations, according to IAEA Director Rafael Grossi. The material, enough for approximately 10 nuclear weapons, lies beneath rubble at Iran's three main nuclear facilities after US strikes last June. Kazakhstan's proposal emerged during Grossi's meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana this week.

The fate of the highly enriched uranium represents a major sticking point in US-Iran talks aimed at extending a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump demands the material be transferred out of Iran, while Tehran has indicated resistance to handing it over. The IAEA maintains a uranium bank in Kazakhstan, potentially providing a secure storage solution acceptable to both parties, though final approval remains pending.

Despite Trump's assertion that US strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, experts warn the stockpile poses a persistent threat. Trump prefers the uranium be destroyed in place or transferred to an "acceptable location," ruling out Russia or China as alternatives. Grossi expressed cautious optimism, stating "it's always possible" a deal could be reached, though the 440kg material remains a significant obstacle to broader agreement.