Iran Refuses to Ship Uranium Stockpile as Trump Draws Red Line, Oil Climbs

Iran’s supreme leader has reportedly barred the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium from leaving Iranian territory, Benzinga reported Thursday, citing two senior Iranian officials familiar with the directive.

Khamenei’s Order Hardens Tehran’s Position on Iran Enriched Uranium

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued the directive after senior officials concluded that transferring the stockpile abroad would leave Iran exposed to future military action by the United States and Israel. The instruction carries binding weight. Khamenei holds ultimate authority over Iran’s most sensitive national security decisions.

The move directly collides with a core Washington demand. President Donald Trump stated Thursday that the United States would not permit Iran to keep its highly enriched uranium under any peace arrangement. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales reinforced that stance, saying Trump had clearly defined American red lines and would only accept a deal that placed U.S. interests first.

Oil Markets React Sharply to Escalation Risk

Energy traders moved swiftly. WTI crude futures climbed roughly 1.66% over 24 hours to trade near $97.92 per barrel. Brent crude crossed above $104 per barrel. Both benchmarks reflect growing concern about supply disruptions across the Persian Gulf region.

Background: A Conflict Frozen in Dispute

The current standoff traces back to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February 2025. Those attacks triggered Iranian retaliation against Gulf states hosting American military bases. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon followed. A ceasefire has since held in fragile form, but substantive peace negotiations remain deadlocked.

Pakistan has been serving as a mediator between the parties. Progress has been slow. A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continues, while Tehran maintains leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil supply passes.

Nuclear Enrichment Dispute Remains Unresolved

Western governments have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran had accumulated nearly 441 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 purity before last year’s military strikes. That level sits well above civilian energy requirements and closer to weapons-grade thresholds. Iran rejects the weapons accusation.

Trump signalled Wednesday that further strikes remained possible if Tehran refused a deal, though he indicated Washington could allow a brief window for diplomacy. Khamenei’s latest directive makes that window considerably harder to navigate.

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