ISTANBUL, Feb 28 — Oman’s foreign minister said Friday that US-Iran nuclear talks have reached an agreement on “zero stockpiling” of enriched uranium, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported, citing broadcaster CBS.
The agreement includes down-blending existing stockpiles to the lowest level and converting them into irreversible fuel under full International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verification.
Sayyid Badr Albusaidi told CBS he is confident that “a peace deal is within our reach” if diplomacy is given “the space it needs to get there.”
“The single most important achievement, I believe, is the agreement that Iran will never, ever have nuclear material that will create a bomb,” said Albusaidi, describing the understanding as “something completely new” compared to the previous nuclear deal negotiated under former US President Barack Obama.
He said the negotiations have produced an agreement on “zero accumulation, zero stockpiling, and full verification” by the IAEA, calling it a breakthrough that makes the enrichment argument “less relevant.”
On existing stockpiles inside Iran, Albusaidi said that “there is agreement now that this will be down-blended to the lowest-level possible … and converted into fuel, and that fuel will be irreversible.”
“I think we have agreement on that, in my view,” he added.
Albusaidi also said that if a deal is concluded, there would be “full and comprehensive verification by the IAEA,” and even US inspectors could have access “at some point in the process” if the agreement is respected and durable.
He said broad political components of a deal “can be agreed tomorrow,” with technical talks scheduled in Vienna, while implementation related to stockpiles, verification and access could be completed within “90 days.”
“I don’t think any alternative to diplomacy is going to solve this problem,” he said, warning that military action would only “complicate resolving this problem and delay it.”
In recent weeks, the US has reinforced its military presence in the Persian Gulf and signalled the possibility of military action to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile programmes and curb “its regional allies.”
Tehran has accused Washington and Israel of fabricating pretexts for intervention and regime change, and has warned it would respond to any military attack, even if limited, while insisting that sanctions relief must accompany any restrictions on its nuclear programme.
