Iran offers to dispose of uranium in exchange for lifting sanctions.

In a potentially pivotal step towards easing nuclear tensions, prominent Iranian official Ali Shamkhani has confirmed his country's readiness to reach an agreement with the United States that includes Iran giving up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. In an interview with NBC News, Shamkhani indicated that Tehran will commit to not manufacturing nuclear weapons, and is prepared for limited enrichment for civilian purposes only, with international inspectors allowed to monitor Iranian nuclear activities. Shamkhani's statements come at a sensitive time, as recent talks between Iran and the United States in Oman concluded without clear progress. Nevertheless, both sides expressed relative satisfaction after the fourth round of negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran had shown willingness to accept some temporary restrictions on uranium enrichment, as confirmed by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, although the specific details of these restrictions are still under negotiation. Despite Iran's positive statements, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi emphasized that Tehran will not back down from its nuclear principles, while U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described Iran's uranium enrichment to levels close to 60% as a "red line." These developments indicate that negotiations are ongoing in an attempt to reach a comprehensive agreement that may help resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis in the near future.