Trump declares end to Iran’s uranium enrichment
• Vows joint push to ‘dig up, remove’ buried nuclear material; threatens 50pc tariffs on nations supplying weapons to Tehran
• Hegseth says US will ‘take’ uranium if Iran refuses to hand it over
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Wednesday there will be no enrichment of uranium by Iran and announced that the two countries will work together to “dig up and remove” nuclear material buried by US strikes last year.
“The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Trump stated that as part of the new engagement with Tehran, the US would assist in clearing the aftermath of previous military operations.
“There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear ‘Dust’,” he added, apparently referring to the rubble of Iranian nuclear facilities targeted by US forces in June 2025.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth doubled down on the demand Wednesday, warning that Iran must voluntarily surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or the United States will “get it”.
The Pentagon chief suggested that the US military has Iran’s nuclear inventory under close observation and remains prepared to launch a second bombing campaign similar to “Operation Midnight Hammer”, the June strike that utilised B-2 stealth bombers against sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
“We’re watching it. We know what they have, and they will give it up, and we’ll get it, and we’ll take it. If we have to, we can do it in any, any means necessary,” Hegseth said.
“They’ll give it to us voluntarily, we’ll get it, we’ll take it, we’ll take it out, or if we have to do something else ourselves… we reserve that opportunity.”
While the ceasefire agreement reportedly includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump signalled that economic pressure would shift toward those aiding Iran’s military.
He announced that imports from any country supplying Iran with military weapons will face immediate 50pc tariffs with no exemptions.
“A country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50pc, effective immediately, There will be no exclusions or exemptions!” Trump wrote.
The tariff threat faces potential legal hurdles. In February, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad global duties, leading to a court-ordered refund of approximately $166 billion in previously collected revenue.
While Trump did not specify which legal authority he would now invoke, he indicated that “Tariff and Sanctions relief” would be part of the ongoing negotiations with Tehran.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran’s own proposal calls for the lifting of stifling economic sanctions in exchange for Washington accepting Iran’s right to enrich uranium.
Prior to the US strikes last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran was enriching uranium to 60pc purity, a level far exceeding civilian requirements and nearing the 90pc threshold required for a nuclear weapon.
Trump, who has long accused Tehran of seeking atomic weapons, claimed the 2025 strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. However, the exact extent of the remaining stockpile remains unknown, prompting the administration’s current focus on the physical removal of the “nuclear dust”.
Although Trump did not name specific countries subject to the new 50pc tariffs, China and Russia have historically supplied Iran with missiles, air-defence systems, and semiconductor technology. Both Moscow and Beijing have denied recent weapons transfers.
The president’s announcements follow a dramatic de-escalation of his previous threats to inflict “devastating” strikes, opting instead for a fragile ceasefire and a policy of enforced removal of Iran’s nuclear assets.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026
