Kazakhstan Offers To Store Iran’s Uranium Stockpile Amid Nuclear Negotiations
Kazakhstan offers to store Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
Kazakhstan has reportedly offered to take custody of Iran’s uranium stockpile if Tehran and Washington reach an agreement on Iran’s disputed nuclear programme, according to a report cited by the Financial Times on Friday. The proposal was disclosed by International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who said he had discussed the matter with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his visit to Astana this week.
The Financial Times report noted that Kazakhstan had expressed “openness” to storing material enriched to near weapons-grade levels, should a diplomatic framework be reached between the relevant parties. At the centre of the ongoing negotiations is an estimated 440 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to around 60 percent purity. The material is considered a critical point of contention in broader discussions involving Iran and the United States, particularly as efforts continue to stabilise a ceasefire following recent hostilities involving US-Israel strikes.
The stockpile is viewed by Western officials as being close to weapons-grade threshold, heightening urgency around its future handling. US President Donald Trump has maintained that Iran must be prevented from developing nuclear weapons and has insisted that the uranium stockpile should be destroyed as part of any agreement. However, Iranian officials have consistently argued that the country has a sovereign right to maintain a civilian nuclear programme, rejecting demands that would eliminate its enrichment capabilities entirely.
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According to US outlet Axios, one proposal under discussion would stop short of resolving the uranium storage issue, instead focusing on Iran’s commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon. Kazakhstan’s reported willingness to serve as a neutral storage location could potentially provide a diplomatic off-ramp in the negotiations, offering a monitored external repository for the material while broader political disagreements remain unresolved.
The Central Asian nation has previously positioned itself as a supporter of nuclear non-proliferation and international monitoring frameworks. As discussions continue between Tehran, Washington, and international mediators, the fate of the enriched uranium remains a central obstacle to any comprehensive agreement. The proposal involving Kazakhstan underscores ongoing efforts to find intermediary solutions that could reduce tensions while avoiding immediate destruction or unilateral control of the stockpile.
