Iran’s nuclear program remains the central friction in US‑Iran talks. Tehran is
believed to hold about 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — well above civilian
needs (3–5%) — and enrichment from 60% to weapons‑grade 90% would take markedly
less time. Western governments say Iran is positioning for weapons capability
despite Iranian civilian claims. Naysan Rafati, senior Iran analyst at the
International Crisis Group, says negotiations typically make progress on some
items while stalling on others; being 95% agreed can be misleading because the
final 5% is usually the most difficult. He identifies core disputes over the
substance and sequencing of commitments — Tehran prefers to defer details to
later rounds while Washington wants clarity up front — with talks covering
uranium inventories, the future scope of Iran’s nuclear activities, and
additional emerging issues.
