US to take out Iran’s enriched uranium, regardless of talks’ outcome — Trump

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President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will secure and destroy Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium, with or without a diplomatic agreement, warning that failure to reach a deal could result in military action.

In remarks reported by the Russian state news agency TASS, Trump said Washington is prepared to act unilaterally if necessary. "We will go with them, or without them," he said, according to an interview with NBC News. "But we won't have people shooting at us."

The statements, made in late May and June, paint a picture of a US administration determined to prevent Iran from retaining weapons-usable nuclear material, even as questions remain about the details of any potential agreement.

Coverage comparison

All five reports from TASS—the only outlet covered in this analysis—rely on direct quotes from President Trump, apparently drawn from a series of media appearances and social media posts. The articles consistently present Trump as the primary source of information, with no independent verification of conditions on the ground in Iran.

While the exact interviews and dates vary, the reports collectively describe a US policy that has so far been communicated primarily through the president's own words rather than through official White House statements or diplomatic cables.

Key claims

US will secure uranium with or without a deal

In multiple statements, Trump insisted that the US would secure Iran's enriched uranium regardless of the outcome of ongoing talks. "We will go with them, or without them," he said in an NBC News interview, adding that if a deal is not reached, "we're going to take them out militarily very harshly."

Emphasis on destroying, not taking, the material

According to TASS, Trump was explicit that the US is not seeking to acquire Iranian fissile material for itself. "We're not looking to take it, we're looking to destroy it," he said, describing a process that could involve either on-site destruction or removal to another location.

In a social media post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: "The enriched uranium (nuclear dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place."

Possible joint operation with Iran

One TASS report cited Trump as saying there was a tentative agreement with Tehran for a joint operation. "As it stands now, we will go into sometime in the not too distant future," he said. "As of this moment, it's agreed that we will go in with them," referring to Iranian cooperation.

Monitoring from space

Trump detailed US surveillance of Iranian facilities, indicating that satellites are providing constant oversight. "We have cameras from space on it," he said. "We know everybody that goes there, which is like nobody." This capability appears to underpin Washington's confidence that the material cannot be moved without detection.

No sanctions relief

In a separate exchange with PBS, Trump was asked whether Iran would receive sanctions relief in exchange for giving up its uranium. "No, not at all," he said. "Not sanctions relief." He added: "They are going to give up their highly enriched uranium not for sanctions relief."

No deal means military action

The president left little room for ambiguity about the consequences of a diplomatic failure. "If we don't make a deal, then we're going to take them out militarily very harshly," he said. "And we'll wait till we do that before we go, in which case we'll have safety either way."

Perspectives

The situation raises several unresolved questions. TASS's reports do not include comment from Iranian officials directly, though the news agency notes that Tehran has not announced any formal agreement to allow US personnel into its nuclear facilities. The claim of a tentative agreement appears to rest on presidential statements alone.

Analysts caution that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities could have far-reaching consequences for the region and global oil markets, though the TASS reports do not include independent analysis of such scenarios.

The US has previously conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025, according to TASS, and the current discussions appear to focus on the aftermath of increased tension between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Reuters and other international outlets had not yet independently verified the details of any agreement regarding Iran's uranium stockpiles at the time of writing. TASS's reporting describes the situation primarily from the American perspective, and it remains unclear how Iranian leadership views the proposed arrangements.