Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran must hand over its enriched uranium

By Amanuel Janberu
Published on 02/16/26

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the United States should hand over all its enriched uranium in negotiations with Tehran and be banned from further enrichment.

The prime minister outlined the conditions that must be met during the nuclear talks between the United States and Iran in a speech in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“All enriched uranium must leave Iran,” Netanyahu said, adding, “There must be no enrichment capacity.”

Netanyahu’s comments came as Iranian and US officials prepare for a second round of talks in Switzerland on Tuesday.

Iran is ready to facilitate the lifting of sanctions if the US lifts them in order to reach a nuclear deal, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC in Tehran.

The Deputy Foreign Minister said that Iran is ready to consider abandoning its stance and reaching a nuclear deal if the United States is willing to lift sanctions.

However, Iran considers the decision not to enrich uranium a red line and a violation of its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The United States is pressuring Iran to reach an agreement and has also strengthened its military presence in the Middle East, deploying two aircraft carriers to the region.