While the White House has indicated that a deal with Iran is in the final stages of negotiations, President Donald Trump has laid out a number of “red line” demands in order for any lasting peace agreement to be reached.
The administration has emphasized that any sanctions relief for Iran will be withheld unless Tehran surrenders its stockpile of enriched uranium. Senior officials described the policy as “no dust, no dollars,” referring to highly enriched uranium, which President Trump has called “nuclear dust.”
“No dust, no dollars — in other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief. If they do nothing, they get nothing. If they do a lot, they can actually get a lot,” a senior Trump Administration official told the New York Post on condition of anonymity.
The official added that the arrangement would feature “clear enforcement, or no deal,” and explicitly ruled out immediate cash transfers or large-scale relief similar to the 2015 JCPOA. “There will be no pallets of cash [and] no other relief for opening the strait,” the official said.
Core U.S. goals for the conflict have long centered on Iran’s nuclear program.
Negotiators are discussing an outright ban on uranium enrichment for a period spanning decades, though the exact duration remains under discussion. Iran must also dispose of its existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium in its entirety.
“No one disputes that the stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of. It’s a question about how,” the official noted. Methods under consideration include transfer out of the country or destruction, with Trump having previously indicated that any surrendered material would likely be destroyed.
Additional elements include verifiable commitments that Iran will not pursue a nuclear weapon, alongside measures addressing regional activities. The administration has stressed that sanctions relief and economic breathing room will scale with Iranian compliance on these nuclear steps.
On the military side, the U.S. maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports established earlier in the conflict. Under the emerging framework, the blockade would loosen proportionately as Iran takes steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war status with free navigation, and without the ability to charge tolls for vessels wishing to pass.
U.S. forces and assets in the region are to remain deployed during the initial phase of any agreement, including a potential 60-day ceasefire extension. Full withdrawal or significant de-escalation of the military posture is conditioned on implementation and verification of the broader deal terms, particularly nuclear commitments. The approach aims to sustain pressure while allowing phased progress, according to the administration.
“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” President Trump posted on Truth Social over the weekend.
He previously described the agreement as “largely negotiated,” but officials clarified that final details, especially on uranium disposition, require additional time. A senior official stated that “95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system.”
