Who Would Take Iran’s Uranium?

Oil Price, By RFE/RL staff – Jun 18, 2026,

• Kazakhstan has indicated it is willing to help store Iran’s enriched uranium if a broader international agreement is reached.
• Iran remains reluctant to surrender its uranium stockpile because it views the material as leverage in negotiations with Washington.
• Any transfer would face significant technical, political, and domestic challenges, including security concerns and public opposition in Kazakhstan.

As negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program continue, the fate of Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains one of the most difficult issues to resolve.

Before US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. While not weapons-grade, the material is significantly close to the 90 percent enrichment level generally associated with the production of nuclear weapons.

The question now confronting negotiators is what should happen to that stockpile as part of a broader agreement between Tehran and Washington. In recent weeks, Kazakhstan has been mentioned as a possible third-party custodian………………………………. https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Middle-East/Who-Would-Take-Irans-Uranium.html

June 22, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, Kazakhstan, Uranium