Iran will 'never' possess nuclear bomb-making material: Oman FM
What's the story
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has announced that Iran has agreed never to possess nuclear material capable of producing a bomb. The announcement was made after a meeting with United States Vice President JD Vance in Washington. "The single most important achievement...is the agreement that Iran will never, ever have a nuclear material that will create a bomb," Albusaidi told CBS News.
Diplomatic progress
'Not like old deal negotiated during Obama's presidency'
Albusaidi described the development as unprecedented and a major breakthrough in negotiations with Iran. He said that the new agreement is not like the old deal negotiated during President Barack Obama's time. "This is something that is not in the old deal that was negotiated during President Obama's time. This is something completely new," he said. The proposed framework includes "zero stockpiling" of enriched uranium, a significant departure from previous agreements.
Stockpile reduction
'Fuel would be irreversible'
Under the new agreement, Iran's existing stockpiles would be "down blended to the lowest level possible, to a neutral level and converted into fuel." Albusaidi added that this fuel would be irreversible. Full verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would also be part of this agreement, going on to suggest that even US inspectors could eventually gain access if a deal is finalized.
Upcoming negotiations
Technical discussions to take place in Vienna
Technical discussions are set to take place in Vienna, with another round of high-level talks expected soon. Albusaidi said broad political terms could be agreed upon quickly, while implementation could be completed within about three months. Despite President Donald Trump's frustration with the pace of negotiations, Albusaidi believes both Washington and Tehran are serious about reaching an agreement.